Leprasy
Morbid Pathologist ()
Wydane przez RottenToTheCore/Shiver RecordsRok wydania Kraj BelgiumNapisał Wouter6
This act was formed 2 years prior to this debut and frankly, it shows. Leprasy (not Leprosy, they actually write it with an 'a'.) brings a modern interpretation of death metal that was popular in the late nineties. Bands like "Trading Pieces" era Deeds Of Flesh and "Destined for Defilement" era Fleshgrind seem to be the major influences in the riff and groove department, although these fine Belgian lads never ever come within the proximity of their inspirations. Add some additional grind leanings and you have quite an adequate idea of what Leprasy sounds like. While this description sounds pretty good on paper Leprasy don't go out on a limb to stand out in any way from the many bands crowding the genre these days. Add to that the most uninspired and cliché song titles this side of Mortician and the results pretty much speak for themselves. Leprasy have nailed the groove part and vocally there are a few really neat instances that the interaction delivers fireworks. For the majority however, Leprasy don't have the songwriting prowess to write actual engaging material and the tracks tend to become stale and interchangeable when listened individually. The production courtesy of Second Test Recordings is pretty good considering this is the band's debut. The guitar tone is nicely thick and detailed while the drum sound still needs some tweaking, especially the snare drums. The guitars completely drown out the bass, but I suppose it's somewhere in there (as the title track and 'V.I.P' serve to prove). Vocals are guttural and abrasive with bassist Roy lending his vocal chords alongside lead vocalist Peutie. Biggest downfall for Leprasy is the sheer familiarity of their repertoire - bands as Lividity, Devourment or Brodequin have specialized in this specific genre and do it with more flair, finesse and conviction. The artwork is minimal and the booklet fails to offer up any useful information. Yattering styled bloodspatters on the disc itself are a very cool touch. I feel there's a future for Leprasy but "Morbid Pathologist" isn't going to pave a way for this band in the international scene but will no doubt further their career locally significantly. Effective on a pure visceral level but this is not leaving a lasting impression.
www.leprasy.be
