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SEVERE TORTURE ‘Fall Of The Despised’ Earache (2005)
If you can recall me having already reviewed Severe Torture this year, do not get alarmed - I have not lost it completely...yet. "Bloodletting" was nothing more than a live release, which marked the end of the collaboration between the band and the Dutch label Karmageddon Media (ex-Hammerheart). After having achieved the termination of their contract, Severe Torture welcomed guitarist Marvin Vriesde within their ranks, signed a new contract with Earache records and began the recordings of their long - awaited full length release "Fall of the Despised".
I don't know if it's the three year gap between the release of "Misanthropic Carnage" (2002) and this new album, or the addition of a new guitar player, but quite a few things are different nowadays. The first thing that I noticed when listening to "Fall of the Despised" was a certain change in the band's general attitude, without suggesting a change in their musical direction. If you were happy to hear the Dutch deathsters proclaiming their appreciation of Cannibal Corpse and their countrymen Pestilence in their previous two releases, you will not be disappointed by "Fall of the Despised" - these influences are presented in a more mature way this time round, though.
Dennis Schreurs vocals still sound quite ‘Cannibalesque’, but both guitars and drums have decided to slow things quite significantly in places. With fewer double-bass tunes and blast beats around, the members of Severe Torture were now able to reveal more of their technical and melodic side, and there are plenty of good quality guitar solos on this album to prove it. Whereas "Sawn Off" is the product of a combination of Death and Pestilence ("Testimony of the Ancients" era) elements, songs like "Unconditional Annihilation" and "Decree of Darkness" are closer to their early Cannibal Corpse influences. Additionally, I can see quite a few Morbid Angel fans getting really hooked on the slow but quite powerful riffs of "Impulsive Mutilation" which I assume is Severe Torture's tribute to the great Americans.
An album like "Fall of the Despised" is destined to receive varied responses, and that is due to the nature of the band's music. Severe Torture will probably not invent any new Death Metal formulas that will make the metal world fall on their feet, but they will definitely appeal to fans of classic Death Metal like myself!
***½
Review by John Stefanis
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