“The Sound of Perseverance” is a Death masterpiece and I take the occasion to thank Thomas for his excellent review on the re-issue. Chuck Schuldiner lives forever!
“The Sound of Perseverance” could also summarize Yusuke Sumita’s career. The guitarist, only remaining founding member, started the band in 92 and its discography in 94 with a self-financed EP. Then came three LPs in 99, 01 and 03. The fourth is coming only now, but our guy has the flame, maybe more than ever.
“The Sound of Perseverance”, the CD, is probably not an influence for Defiled. If the Japanese took something from Death, it comes more from “Leprosy”. They appreciate Morbid Angel “Altars of Madness” too. Above all, I guess they worship early 90’s brutal death metal pieces like Suffocation “Effigy of the Forgotten”. But they are not stuck in the past and they follow their own way.
Haruhisa Takahata is slapping his bass here and there. That gives an interesting flavour which has nothing to do with fusion or funk, for sure. Kenji Sato’s grunts are not revolutionary but hold the comparison with others. The drums, well, you cannot play this genre without certain high capacities and Takahiro Okada has them. Defiled can be defined as old school, brutal, varied, technical, and “In Crisis” is genuine, including with its “tasty” cover by Wes Benscoter.
Bill Metoyer (Slayer, Flotsam & Jetsam, Sacred Reich, Fates Warning, Sadus…) has surely done a great job, with a tough, rough but well thought production, where each instrument has its place and enough space. That should be easier to judge on the CD because brutal death metal and mp3 is not the best marriage you can dream on.
Old school and proud of it, but modern as well, with a real personality to offer. Are you in trouble to wake up in the morning? You can play this “In Crisis”, from the Land of the Rising Sun: much better and effective than your alarm clock!
