ALL FALLS DOWN / REANIMA - Split CD

GENRE: Death metal
COUNTRY: Austria
FORMAT: CD
LABEL: Unundeux
YEAR: January 28th, 2011

RATING: 6/10
REVIEWED BY: PSL
PROVIDED BY: Blacklist Promotion

Death metal is not exactly what I usually link to Austria. It is more things along the line of the purple Milka cow and lederhosen. Of course Pungent Stench is Austrian, but in addition to that band I can't think of any other death metal bands. If that will change with All Falls Down or Reanima I'm not sure.

The music of All Falls Down is brutal. It is modern death metal in the vein of Whitechapel, The Red Chord and bands alike. The songs are varied. There are lots of changeups in the music and the songs to some extent often have a jumbled and motorized feel. The band also uses samples and effects. I like that as the songs then don't get too banal. The vocals are standard for the genre. Thomas Gasperlmair vary his vocals between a low end growl and a high-pitched shouting. It works as it should, but adds only little to the music. But on the whole I think the three songs on the EP promise well for what next to come.

Reanima doesn't differ much from All Falls Down in terms of style. I get the feeling that the two bands are inspired by many of the same bands. Reanima is however a little more direct in its music and maybe a tad thicker in sound. Here and there I also spot a bit of groove akin to Meshuggah. That of course adds to the diversity. That can't exactly be said about the vocals. The vocals are not bad, but there's not too much variation. Overall the three songs are alright, but it does get a little too much of the same in the long run.

If you love brutal music I guess you'll like the EP. The music is nothing unusual, but there are some interesting things going on. And above all I think it's a good taster to what the two bands can do.