Okay, an EP with 14 minutes of material from Italian death metallers. And not all of it is new ('Too Dead to Fuck' is a remake I think)... Sudden Death are a totally new acquaintance for me. They have release three full-length albums between 2002 and 2014. Not too hasty action there...

During their earlier years the band played more old school influenced death metal. 'Stillborn' works as a new start for them, I presume, as they now play more deathcore-induced style. Piano and digital effects on the intro pave the way for a new era. The drums are totally triggered and up in the mix, and they sound machiney, robotic. Then there is this infamous "bass boom" utilized. Some rhythms are more of groove than death metal category. There is some djent and core riffing, and they are another metalcore element one'll hear here. It's not all core, but it is articulately in the music, and it simply makes this sound so modern, if not fully soulless.

The guitar playing consists of pure death metal cranking, often in vein of Cannibal Corpse, thanks to those "bubbling rot" string vibrations, but there are also these evil-sounding riff like Sinister, for example, could thrust forward. The biggest nag about the songwriting is its familiarity; it can be devastating at its best ('Flood the Ground'), but also outdated. The metalcore elements simply make it more dull, and do not manage to make it more exhilarating at all.

The production is too full, as the drums are just too loud in the mix. Effected growl vocals and instruments here and there sound like they were compressed. They are similar, soundwise, as some packed .mp3 files, goddamnit! The cover art is, well, ghoulish, and looks computerized.

I personally prefer my death metal served in flesh, not as robotic. I am not ready for the future I guess (except with some rare occasions, like Fear Factory). Fear the rise of machines.

Rating: 5½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
06/06/2018 19:13