I have been very familiar with Embryonic Devourment for
years. I’ve seen them live at least four times in several different locations.
I have yet to see them as the headliner of the show and will definitely go when
that happens. Embryonic Devourment is part of the San Francisco/bay area death
metal scene. San Francisco seems to be the metal capitol of the United States
due to the amount of bands that are being given birth to there. Of course there
are all the thrash metal legends from there like Slayer, Testament, Exodus, Metallica
(although they’re more inland), and Death Angel. It is also home to more death
metal bands than any other city in the country. Just a few of the bands that
come from that area are Decrepit Birth (who is actually friends with and
supports Embryonic Devourment), All Shall Perish, Gortuary, Flesh Consumed,
Retch, Severed Savior, The Faceless, Vile, Disgorge, and one of the monsters of
brutal music, Cephalotripsy.
Embryonic Devourment’s guitar work tends to be more abstract
that the average technical death band. For some people, it might take some
getting used to before it’s fully appreciable. Some bands that I can kind of
relate them to would be The Crinn, and pre-2006 Psycroptic. They’re also unique
because all of the instruments are playing all over the place in an abstract manner.
And please understand me when I say that THIS IS VERY HARD TO PULL OFF! It
requires a buttload of commitment from all the band members, a very rigorous
practice schedule, and extremely precise songwriting (in order for all of the
parts to match up and sound good, but still be abstract and technical). Some
other bands that have pulled this off excessively would be Obscura, The Crinn,
Decrepit Birth, The Faceless, and many others.
They don’t work with the more popular bands as often as you
would think. What I mean by “working” with them is touring with bigger bands as
opening acts. They tend to keep the majority of their shows in California, but I
am aware that they have toured the states and have played one or two shows out
of the country (by that I mean Canada). But they would be a lot bigger if they
played some more shows outside of California.
Like the majority of technical death bands out there, these
guys have chosen the science-fiction theme. I think that the whole sci-fi thing
is barely starting to get to the point of being over-used. Ever since the turn
of the century, the amount of death metal bands using this theme has literally
skyrocketed, and yes, I do know that this theme has actually been used since
the late 80s by bands like Atheist (whom I think was the first death metal band
to do that).
Being a bass player myself, I can always hear what the
bassist is playing better than everyone else. And I will tell you that this
bass player is crazy. He plays a five-stringer and I believe I saw him playing
a six-string bass the last time I saw them in concert. If you want to know what
I’m talking about, he plays little solos in just about every song, and plays
the intro to Eye of the Horomatangi.
Listening to this album will be an experience you will not
forget, whether you like it or not, it’s just the way it works. This is a band
that deserves the amount of support that The Faceless gets. This album gets
18/20.
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