Polish death metallers Embrional's sophomore demo 'Annihilation' from 2007 gets a special treatment by label Old Temple and is reissued with 8 live tracks. It offers over 50 minutes of death metal mayhem for those who can take the beating...

With 'Annihilation', Embrional decided to play more faster material. While the debut demo 'Cusp of Evil' (2006) features some fast songs and parts and equally slow and melodic stuff, this second one really wants listener's head, and doesn't give up before getting it. The demo's title is very fitting, since 5 out of 6 songs are fast, chaotic, relentless and attacking. Just like the debut demo, this too incorporates stylistics from the other side of the Atlantic: This is Polish and US styles alloyed with some European influences. The riffing is totally churning and ripping, even though there are some a tad calmer, easier to digest riffs. The guitar solos are, on the other hand, weird or insane. Generally, in 2007 Embrional sounded something like Immolation and Origin mixed. However, the instrumental 'Human Brew' gives a bit of a breather between blasting, and evokes similar evil imagery as their countrymen Pandemonium.

The sound is heavy, but also somewhat muffled. It's good for a demo, but the band's inexorable blood-thirst and technical expertise was much better on display on the debut album 'Absolutely Anti-Human Behaviors' (2012). Here, it is booming, but as the drums are louder than anything else, especially the bass guitar gets shadowed. The sound was left intact, original, so no artificial tampering with the sound this time. Which is fine.

Eight live tracks are rather good in quality, actually. It's not a soundboard recording, and there are some impurities in it, such as echoing and muffled bits. The live section almost sounds better than the demo tracks, though. And what's better is the band's high energy level! But Embrional have never exhibited any lameness on any of their recordings, so it wasn't at all expected.

The booklet contains cover art by Mariusz Krajewski, just like the original demo did. It's just updated. The lyrics for the demo tracks are included with some live photography. All in all, this is an essential recording for avid fans of Polish death metal, but not a must for general death metal aficionado. The reissue does its job.

Rating: 7 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
09/16/2014 19:25