Substance - Unreality

Substance is a Death Metal band from the Netherlands and 'Unreality' is their first EP. Just getting their start in 2009, this EP is a bit brief, but full of extremely promising Metal. While some consider these guys 'Technical,' one could see them more as a crossover into Groove/ Thrash Metal. Using a mid level growl, much of the music is built on synchopated, catchy, chugging riffs, such as with the track "Brainwash." Usually in Technical Death Metal there is so many fret changes and squealing from the guitar it sounds like Mathcore, and Substance's music is a bit more simplified than that. It is still highly melodic though and far from being a garage band that just plays the same riffs over and over while shouting into the microphone. Lots of tracks are similar to "Brainwash" simply in the way they tend to use a large focus on segmented, chugging riffs that feel like they came out of Slayer's 'Diabolis In Musica' era. The only real technical parts tha come up is in the bass, such as with "Lifeline." Other surprises include very scratchy, faded female vocals during one of the softer, progressive parts of the EP on the first track "Remnants." Moments like these are very rare, but also help make the EP sound more dynamic. Overall, this is actually a pretty decent piece of music that has strong fusions of genres in Metal and will appeal to fans of both the general Death Metal crowd and even those of Death n' Roll or Thrash.

  1. Remnants
  2. Brainwash
  3. Inevitable
  4. Lifeline
  5. Contamination

Self released
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Dec 20, 2011
Next review: Root - Heritage Of Satan

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