Demiricous'
2006 release One(Hellbound) was a startling revelation to the metal
world, finely blending the brutal arts of thrash and death metal. Honing
their chops further with non-stop touring in support of the record, all
the while living in abject poverty and working shitty day jobs when not
on the road, the groundwork was there for a mind-blowing sophomore
release. Unfortunately, Two (Poverty) (Metal Blade), is more of a
sophomore slump, if sounding exactly like Slayer is your definition of a
slump.
Vocalist Nate Olp has shed the ghostly shriek/dealthly growl vocals
found on One for a spot-on Tom Araya yell. Opening track "Never
Enough Road" will send you scurrying for the liner notes to ensure that
Araya really hasn't joined Demiricous. Olp's yelling actually
detracts from the first half of the record, making the first six songs
nearly indistinguishable from each other. It feels as if the rest of the
band has taken hold of Olp's Slayer worship as well with riffs and
movements from Reign In Blood, South Of Heaven and other classics well
represented for the first six songs. Only the swirling fretwork of
guitarists Ben Parrish and Scott Wilson on "Leprosaic Belief" stands out
as something original. By "Appreciation for Misery", Demiricous
begin to push their sound back to the forefront with galloping low end
guitars and thunderous drums and an ear twisting solo to boot. "Acid
Lung" adds harmonics,dive bomb guitars and what sounds like a fretless
bass to create one of their most volatile songs.
There is no doubt that the members of Demiricous were able to get
their feelings about their lot in life recorded on Two (Poverty).
It's unfortunate that they stepped away from the template that was ready
to get more expansive and reverted to something coldly familiar to
express their rage. Here's hoping that Three kicks Araya and company out
into the cold.
