Delirium X Tremens
Cyber Human
5.1
From their poorly translated website biography I learned that Delirium X Tremens is an Italian ‘melodic death metal’ band who, on their five song ep entitled Cyber Human, seek to illuminate what they see as the “alienation of men in their relationship with technology and the flattening of their taste and ideals mainly due to mass – communication”. Sounds a bit like a college course description. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that this qualifies Cyber Human as a theme album, but it’s nice to know that the band has put some thought into their message.
Delirium X Tremens describe and categorize their sound as ‘technological death metal hate’. They do indeed play death metal and I assume their technological aspect comes into play with the aforementioned ‘theme’ because otherwise there is little taking place in their music that makes me think of either technology or the word ‘technological’.
D X T plays a slower brand of death metal with few attempts at musical exploration or variation; concepts that could help alleviate any boredom resulting from the lack of surprises or spontaneity (originality, even) on Cyber Human. The opening track “1000 Wolves” begins with a few monotonous, gurgling growls that segue into a strong opening of quick, palm muted chugs matched by drums. Unfortunately the initial twenty seconds of the first song are some of the strongest on the release and what follows is verse after verse of sometimes thrashy, sometimes sludgy death metal that never really crystallizes into what Delirium X Tremens could produce if they expanded their sound several degrees. Four of the five songs clock in at over four minutes, the exception being an instrumental track (called “Delirium 9991”) of clean guitar which offers a brief reprieve from the continual crunch-laden, guitar-driven music and provides one of the few sources of melody and musical variability that sticks out in my mind. Again I refer to the lack of variation on the release.
The recording on Cyber Human is the album’s most notable short coming. The mix is muddled and makes sorting out the contributions of each instrument a little more tedious than it should be. For instance, there is reverb on the snare that fills the empty spaces left by guitar pauses which results in the recording coming off as sloppy at times. Musicianship suffers from this sort of recording as the togetherness or tightness that does so much to hold death metal together falls to the wayside. Delirium X Tremens try for the syncopated chug patterns that can offer interesting rhythmic exploration, but again the recording keeps these verses from developing to their full potential. Being that Cyber Human is self-produced, I understand why there is no speaker-shattering, crystal-clear recording job. Regardless, the recording on Cyber Human detracts from the overall quality of the release.
Cyber Human stands as a decent yet noticeably amateur release that hints at the presence in Delirium X Tremens of what could eventually produce a worthy contribution to the death metal scene. If you’re into heavy, slower-tempo death metal with truly monstrous vocals and not much going on in the song writing department, these guys may be right up your alley.
