Within A Mind
Isolate
6.7
With a name like Within a Mind, one might expect this duo's five song demo Isolate to fall on the more cerebral side of metal, that is not the case: Isolate is a gritty, crusty blast of old-school sounding death metal.
Within a Mind's bruising, gore-spattered sound draws strong influence from the early work of Death, where primal brutality is augmented with hints of technical sophistication. Bludgeoning power chords and tremolo-picked melodies are the band’s primary tools of destruction, but rigid thrash riffs and Napalm Death styled breakdowns also make frequent appearances. The drumming has a loose feel to it; the double kicks sound like they are being played with actual human feet, and the sound is a bit muffled, but it fits the old-school sound of the music. Within a Mind’s primary vocal attack is a standard low death growl, but this is frequently matched with a higher pitched black metal styled rasp. Both voices are dripping with a guttural menace that befits the subject matter of songs with titles like “Gore Tunnel” and “The Silent Killer.” A particularly revolting vocal highlight occurs on the track “Spine Cycle,” wherein the final thirty seconds of music are drowned out by what appears to be the sound of someone gargling sulfuric acid. The production of perfectly suitable quality for a demo, offering the warmth of a freshly murdered corpse and all the polish of a crime scene hastily cleaned with the victims own bloody soaked clothing.
Isolate is an enjoyable listen, but far from what I would call essential. However, all five songs are available for free download at Within a Mind's Myspace page, so anyone with an interest in raw, old-school death metal is advised to check it out.
