Death Without Weeping
Word to the Motherfucking Streets
7.7
Death Without Weeping play a deft blend of hardcore, sludge, grind, and old school death metal, with various other influences thrown in for good measure. The riffs are thick and catchy, and there are plenty of breakdowns and slower, groovier sections. This recording suffers a bit because of the mix, but it is, of course, a demo, and the production is reasonable for something that was, I believe, done by a band member. The music certainly manages to transcend the blunt and toothless mix, and makes up for it with musical intensity. I should probably note that this review is a bit belated, and I think the band is recording new music. I hope so.
Word to the Motherfucking Streets, or WTTMFS, is a strong effort with good songwriting and lots of cool moments. Thematically, the band goes with a comedic approach, and the demo title and first track suggest that the band is courting the humorous, quasi-ghetto image used by a certain outfit who are “str8 outta Northcote,” as well as a group who play “razor grind from da hood.” This ain’t Crotchduster, however, and the band manage to stay focused and run through six cuts (not including the intro) of very downtuned, very heavy metal. I must admit that the band rely a bit too much on abrupt changes in style and tempo, often following a sludgy, headbanger-friendly breakdown with a patch of noisecore histrionics. Since this is a somewhat laid-back, groove laden album, I think the band could have gone with less abrupt transitions. Still, they get points for successfully blending the myriad of styles mentioned above, and I’m sure that they would be quite capable of releasing a CD in any of the genres named. I don’t even know what bands to compare them to, which is usually the sign of a promising group.
The musicians in Death Without Weeping are talented. The drums are simple but perfectly effective, again making me think of old school death metal. I can’t really discern the guitar from the bass, but what I hear sounds competent and skillful. I really enjoy the vocals, and though comparing anyone to Gurge from Lord Gore is akin to burdening an artist with a tag like “the best thing in underground metal,” I can almost hear shades of that Pacific Northwest-dwelling fellow’s style in Death Without Weeping’s vocalist. The frontman on WTTMFS employs a skillful guttural technique, and it sounds like there’s a fetus caught in his throat or something. I approve.
I have already discussed the production, and I’m not too impressed by it, but it isn’t terrible either. My biggest complaint is that I think there are things going on which I can’t make out, and I also feel that the guitar tone isn’t sharp enough. It doesn’t have any bite. The drums are also too raw. I hope that they have better mixing and mastering on their full length, as it would really make a huge difference.
To sum things up, Death Without Weeping are a strong addition to the New England death metal roster. This is a well-written and well-performed demo, and I hope to hear more from them in the future.
