Anthropophagus Depravity - Demonic Paradise

"Demonic Paradise” is a hard-hitting dose of brutal death metal that is all-obliterating with punishing music and the ever-present anti-religious overtones. This is a release that is firing on all cylinders and doesn’t let up from beginning to end. There is a lot to be heard here. The range of vibes and influences is vast and is sure to keep the listener glued to the speaker upon every listen. Music-wise, this monstrosity could be compared with the likes of Malevolent Creation, Deicide, Aborted Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, and even Morbid Angel. There is definitely an appreciation for the old school here, however, the band manages to take these influences and incorporate their own nuances resulting in a sound that will, no doubt, carry the pride of this genre for generations to come. The riffs of guitarist Eko Aryo Widodo are pinpoint sharp with just the right balance of traditional and technical ability to lead the charge into battle. He is controlled to a point but lets it be known that he could erupt in a 6-string madness at any time. Excellent work on this material. Yohanes Widiasmoro is on bass duties and you can hear his monstrous rumblings all throughout the album. It’s almost as if some profane creature from hell is going to make their presence known at any moment. Like the earth is going to separate and this beast is going to crawl out taking victims right and left. From what I am hearing, the bass is sharing equal duties with the other instruments and not getting lost in the background of everything else going on.

I could not make out the name of the drummer but they sure exhibit skills of the highest order here. Even though they may be triggered at times, this guy is a pure beast! I would put him up against any drummer in the scene and he could definitely hold his own. Obviously well skilled and his display here shows that respect and reverence is expected and well-deserved. Vocal duties are handled by Pandu Herlambang and he does an excellent job summoning some of the best vocals I've heard this year. His breath control on some of these vocals is impeccable. With a voice like this, you know he has done some vocal training to have and maintain such control. All I can say is, well done sir! This is an album that can hold its own against the stress and demands that this particular genre has. Well-constructed and thought out, this release is sure to have fans lining up for a copy. This is a monstrous release from beginning to end and that somewhat “thick” production only serves to make these hellish utterances even more demonic than they already are. This one is highly recommended. Be sure to contact the band or Comatose Music for more info on adding this release to your collection.

5 / 5 STARS