Dying Fetus - Descend into Depravity
Rating
RIYL
Misery IndexSkinless
Criminal Element
Release Date
09/15/2009
Label
RelapseTracklist
1. Your Treachery Will Die WIth You2. Shepherd's Commandment
3. Hopeless Insurrection
4. Conceived Into Enslavement
5. Atrocious By Nature
6. Descend Into Depravity
7. At What Expense?
8. Ethos of Coercion
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John Gallagher is a mad man. Not in the sense that he’s certifiably insane (though he may very well be), but in the sense that he has persevered in the face of adversity to continue releasing quality death metal album after album under the moniker Dying Fetus. Sure, Sean Beasley and Trey Williams currently fill the roles of bassist and drummer, but for all intents and purposes this is John Gallagher’s show. Ever since Sparky Voyles, Kevin Talley and Jason Netherton vacated the group in 2001 to form the much-heralded Misery Index, critics have anxiously awaited each subsequent Dying Fetus album the way vultures wait for their prey to slowly lurch to a stop and die.
Fortunately for listeners, Gallagher refuses to succumb to mediocrity or allow line-up changes to affect the quality of his music. Stop at Nothing and War of Attrition, while not quite classics in the Fetus catalog, were good enough to garner positive reviews from across the metal spectrum. The group’s newest release, Descend into Depravity, fits comfortably into the Dying Fetus discography and continues their trend of releasing top-notch death metal full of meaty slam parts, technical riffing and, of course, Gallagher’s full range of grunts, squeals and growls.
Dying Fetus wisely does not try to reinvent the wheel with their newest release. Noodly leads flow effortlessly into brutal slam parts (not breakdowns, people, this is a far cry from anything deathcore-related) supported by Williams’ rapid-fire drumming and Beasley’s well-placed backing vocals. Gallagher’s songwriting, though recognizable, contains enough variety and nuance to keep things interesting over the course of the entire album. “Shepherd’s Commandment,” arguably the strongest track on the album, showcases a handful of impressive riffs scattered among the group’s immense, mid-paced attack, though Gallagher’s jaw-dropping dexterity is on display throughout the album’s 40-minute running time.
With Descend into Depravity, Dying Fetus has begun approaching a level of consistency on par with bands like Dismember, Bolt Thrower, Nile and the like – while each new album may not offer a high level of innovation or experimentation, it is guaranteed to provide another heaping slab of quality metal free of gimmickry, trends or fads. Descend into Depravity, the group’s strongest album since Destroy the Opposition, should go a long way toward cementing Dying Fetus as one of better death metal groups of our time. Check this one out if it sounds like your thing.
--Matt Murphy
Comments
Green Brook, NJ
love this record! best dying fetus in a long time.