Lately, there has been a lot of reviews for Italian band on AM. At the best, the standard is high, even production-wise, which hasn't always been the case when talking about metal music recorded in the homecountry of pizza and Ilona "la Cicciolina" Staller. Young band Murder Therapy, who formed in 2007, are now ready with their debut album 'Symmetry of Delirium'.

"Psychotic death metal" is how they represent themselves. Take brutal and technical North American death metal (from Dying Fetus to Immolation domains), mix in some modern deathcore and there you have it in a nutshell. I find the term "psychotic" fitting, as the songs have more rhythm changes than a Rocco Siffredi movie and you definitely do not know what the hell is going to happen next. The tempo fluctuates from blast beats to heavy mid-paced torsion. The drummer isn't short for different beats for sure. The guitars maul listener with sharp riffage and at times open-stringed disharmonies take over. It's okay, but I just can't stand those open strings parts, to tell the truth, since they simply sound fucking annoying! The vocals are typical low growling, but sanguinary distorted screaming really show how rabid it can get. I believe the rest of the band gave everything they had. Sound-wise this is good, because even though the music can get chaotic at times, every instrument is still heard. No need to mention it is heavy... But no matter how brutally it all was made, there is one gigantic problem: Where the fuck are the songs?!?!

The lyrics, which handle murderers, perverts, anti-Christian matters and so on, must be mentioned for their partial delight. "Cotton soaked in alcohol, I stick it in my anus then set it on fire" did make me laugh. Most of the lyrics are grave, as usual, if partly more interesting than anything usual heard on a death metal album.

Sadly, all the energy packed here without much of anything unforgettable, goes to waste. I really think "psychotic death metal" is a fitting label for this, but I still want songs, damn it.

Rating: 5- (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
10/11/2009 17:43