Subhuman
Profondo Rozzo
7.1
Metal is a tough business. Few other forms of music have such a far flung and fertile underground scene. So for any form of metal, particularly an aged form such as thrash, a band is going to have to work very hard to stand out from the hundreds, if not thousands of other bands playing the same style. On their debut, Profondo Rozzo, Italy’s Subhuman, have opted to differentiate themselves, from their peers by writing lyrics in their native tongue. Unfortunately for the band, it hardly makes any difference. However, Italian lyrics are not the only tricks up Subhuman’s sleeve. Subhuman seasons their thrash with some death metal elements such as growled vocals and blast beats. Unfortunately again, these days it is all about the old school, as the modern death/thrash train ran out of steam about midway through the decade. So, Subhuman is 0 for 2 on gimmicks, but at the very least, the band can play.
The sound on Profondo Rozzo is polished and punchy, and the band turns in a performance to match. However, Subhuman has the unfortunate tendency to fall into generic mid-paced thrash Hell. Subhuman’s chops shine through with the occasional ear catching riff, but the majority of the album's material is competent but not very compelling. Unlike top tier death/thrashers like The Crown who thrashed with reckless abandon, Subhuman come across a little too cold and mechanical. The album is not without its redeeming qualities, however: Vocalist Fabrizio Ferzola screeches, squawks and growls through the album with a diverse and passionate performance that smashes through any language barrier. The guitar solos are the album's other highlight. The lead playing is fluid, expressive and technically impressive across the board.
With Profondo Rozzo, Subhuman have proven themselves to be a capable death/thrash act, but they still need to do that special something that makes them stand out.
