'Spare No One' begins by scaring the listener with a creepy intro titled 'The Time Has Been Cast down' whose sound effects blur into an infernal buzz toward its end. It's the cue for opening salvo 'This Lifelong Enmity' where Bloodshedd are up to their usual tricks. Loaded with edge-of-your-seat percussion and a gnarly guitar tone, the death metal these Filipinos play harkens to their 90's influences while still having the distinct Bloodshedd imprint. Don't forget a smidgen of melody.

More than your usual odes to blood and guts, songs like 'Collective' and 'Spare No One' are more confrontational affairs best suited for a hard night's moshing. But hold on a minute, because there are juicy easter eggs lurking beneath the furious tunes here, namely surprising touches of jazz that stew for a few exquisite seconds prior to 'Collective's guitar pyrotechnics and the muddled climax of 'This House of Termites'; the latter almost progressive from its sheer inventiveness.

On the production front, 'Spare No One' is golden. The band's first album (2007's 'Eye of the Pessimist') is the ideal reference point when it comes to appreciating how much Bloodshedd have improved for 'Spare No One'. By listening to their previous effort one can discern the present material's consistency. Then as now, the way Bloodshedd's songs were mixed allows for every instrument to be distinctly heard while retaining a sheen of rawness that elevates the album's vibe slightly above a gritty demo. Performance-wise, the band cannot be faulted, since they've been playing this style of music for more than a decade. The highlight to catch on 'Spare No One' are the Bong Ecat / Bike Buick guitar tandem's incinerating solos that melt your speakers. Also shining is drummer Tuts Book, whose work behind the kit is the band's main driving force.

The album wraps with the monstrous 'Point Blank Target on God' featuring the quintet's patented ferocity amid a backdrop of precise riffs and break-your-neck tempos. Once the curtains have fallen on this release, the listener's ears have just aurally witnessed the best in Filipino Death Metal. For those who're now craving a listen, prepare to be impressed.

Rating: 10 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Miguel Miranda
03/01/2010 18:09