17 years of Dead Shape Figure... And I only have and know the band's debut album from 2008. Why? They just didn't crash with me, until I found this for rather cheap price a while ago and decided to grab it, after spinning a few songs for test. I have to admit that I always thought they were aggro metal and wasn't really interested.

I was quite surprised to find out that DSF play melodic death metal with thrash metal bits. After the introduction, which presents fine melodiousness, the band begin its attack. Damn bruising modern guitar tone with heavy-handed riffing, angry-as-furry-with-claws-out vocals, beating drumming and pulverising bass. To tell the truth, DSF sound very familiar, and not even up-to-date here, but they got the songs. The chord progressions sound so Finnish (e.g. The Scourger, who put out their debut in 2006), Swedish (for example 1990s Darkane, The Haunted, At The Gates) or Central Europe, or USA (e.g. 'Bend the Weak' has some mean hardcore punk leanings with its open-string guitars and some metalcore-ish drumming and pacing), the lead guitar bits have been imported from Gothenburg and generally from Finland's western neighbour.

Regardless of all the familiarity, DSF still managed to win me over with their cool song-writing and high-energy performances. The songs, even the longer ones clocking well over 5-6 minutes and over 8 minutes with the closing track, are driving, never losing the energy or intensity. The songs also have quite a bit of parts and tricks to make them interesting. While DSF have borrowed a lot, they still have their characteristics in it, never sounding like copycats. Even though the instrumental performances are tight as heck, there's some rocking vibes happening; still, it sounds so very tight! The production job is also punctual, breathing yet full, loud and organic.

The guitar players are nimble-fingered, throwing cool stuff in here and there, upping things for a listener. The drummer is nimble-limbed, doing the same with all four. The bass player doesn't follow anything too closely, inserting all kinds of extras in. The vocals are actually very powerful and enraged in shout/growl modes, and some lines of Phil Anselmo-ish talking and some cleans. I was bloody surprised by TV/movie actor and musician Tapio Liinoja making on appearance on an album like this, singing some melancholic stuff in Finnish.

"Overwork death" is what Japanese word karoshi means, so this was, and still is, on the nerve, up-to-date. Better to drop off that overdrive lifestyle and grab some fun death-thrashing of Dead Shape Figure. I dare you to try 'Fight Against, Lie Behalf' and tell me you're not moved by it!

Rating: 8½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
12/06/2020 19:34