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Grinding out metal full of heavily crafted grooves is Portland "Goregon's", Among The Decayed with their unpretentious blend of caffeinated hooks and slow roasted riffs, that is death metal/grindcore, or deathgrind, brand metal brewed at the peak of freshness. Among The Decayed are churning out metal that is simultaneously pleasing and addictive on their full length debut album, 'Dead Rising.' It would seem that the band focused writing songs that are of a heavier and bolder blend. The sound is anchored by chugging guitars that are grown from a down and dirty, distortion-based groove. If you like yours organic, then these guys are serving up what you want.
Among The Decayed have created a sound of their own; true to its roots with some local flavor added to the mix. From the first sip of 'Dead Rising,' these brew masters of metal have you with their completely infectious riffs. These core ingredients have been cultivated from a solid bed of songwriting rather than crammed together technicality. Though used sparingly, there are occasional bursts of abbreviated sweeping solos that add to the music as opposed to distracting from it. Among The Decayed have streamlined their process to weed out anything that does not ultimately add to the flavor of the music. They found their groove in a significant way and not for a minute do they venture out of the furrows they have tilled. The band is able to maintain its momentum while still making each song distinctly it's own and cleverly avoiding being caught in a rut. The album's thrash inspired death/grind tone is thick without being muddy.
Adding excitement to the mix is the strong interaction going on between guitarist Derek and drummer Travis. The two meld exquisitely in a clever collaboration of catchy rhythms with each relying on the other for direct support in their advancement of the omnipotent groove. Travis's bass drums are more reminiscent of early thrash rather than modern day hyper caffeinated blasting, with tasteful tempo changes. Things are stirred up with some creative footwork that uses a combination of different techniques from straight ahead blasting to more methods that are diverse. Travis's snare drum has a stiff sound whereas the rest of the drums unfortunately are somewhat unfulfilling. This could have been avoided if the recording was more direct and the balance of the mix was just a little more even. Upon close listen though, you can hear the drums percolating with stimulated fills and rolls aplenty giving the music a more satisfying flavor.
A decaffeinated approach to the bass is the other thing that keeps this brew from being completely superior. Bassist Aaron's performance is mild compared to the rest of the music as the bass lines were not given time to permeate the music, opting instead to mimic chugging guitars and basically play the same stout guitar riffs. A purpose is served though, as the bass does help to add to the robust body of the music with a hearty dose of earthy heaviness.
Vocalist Kevin's work is neither harsh nor bitter and it shows that he gets what it means to be an extreme metal vocalist. Vocals are treated in such a way as to be more a part of the musical brew than some frivolity poured on top. His enriching range makes them more effective and compelling. Kevin uses an array of techniques from extreme death metal to cleaner thrash like rasps with great success. His higher, particularly "extreme" vocals seem more like acidic shrieks and less like the burnt taste of over cooked crickets. When combined with the proper amount of layering, the methods are not only tolerable but also intensely effective.
Among The Decayed, serve their blend of ground out death metal without any needless additives. They have placed emphasis on the songs as a whole and have boiled everything down to its essence, leaving out anything that does not ultimately add to the result. 'Dead Rising' contains twelve essential songs and is just over thirty minutes in length not giving you an opportunity to get bored, but instead feeling wholly rewarded. Production on this album is sufficient, despite the fact that the mixing could have used a bit more refining. Among The Decayed are a tight band that hands out blistering shots in songs that are sure to get your heart pumping. Even with the under developed bass lines and weakly mixed drums, the experience from Among The Decayed's 'Dead Rising' will be savored long after the album is done, keeping you coming back for more.
By Mike Hanson
4:13 AM
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