Final Redemption
Self Titled
6.8
What we have here is a competent band of individuals playing death metal, or, as they self-proclaim, “Goddamn Mountain Metal.” Hailing from Maryland, Final Redemption’s self titled album– which utilizes a campy, horror feel – is a promising 4-track demo that showcases plenty of confidence and know-how.
Likening Final Redemption to Dying Fetus is easy – especially since they’re both rooted in MD – but this five-piece will also garner Kataklysm-gone-brutal comparisons as the long-running Canadians evidently influenced the guitarists at hand. “Malignant Disfigurement” commences with a soundclip of crickets with the sobs of, presumably, a girl in danger overtop – again, notice the cheerleader type bound and gagged on the cover art – before plunging into brutality. The musicians are talented, but never over-the-top nor too overextended for their own good, while the compositions themselves are enjoyable yet can also be a bit on the repetitive side of things. Others such as “A Palm Branch Offering” (shouldn’t that be olive branch?), “Witness,” and “Open Casket” vary in speed and contain a hefty amount of groove, which helps combat the threat of monotony.
So, in sum, this is a solid effort from Final Redemption that’s probably worth whatever you’d shell out for it at a show. It’s difficult to say whether they are captivating enough for a full-length – at this point anyway – but I’m optimistic about the direction they’re headed. With a few, minor stylistic changes to up the replay value and the natural progression that comes with regular practice, TRL may not be as far out of reach as it appears. Good luck, guys.
