Dutch deathers Vermin have been in the renowned Studio Excess to record 17 songs and the outcome is their debut A Nihilistic Swarm. Musically the band is inspired by the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal, Immolation and Deranged.

The result is not that exciting. Sure the music is varied, but somehow it still appears a bit too same-sounding. Particularly the drumming is to blame for this. Often it seems a bit too one-tracked. However, the band doesn't solely rely on inspiration from death metal. Vermin also seek inspiration in bands like Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan, but this doesn't really set the music apart from so much else either and that is also another major issue with regard to A Nihilistic Swarm. It simply sounds like so much else. Vermin do put a great deal of effort into providing their music with at sense of identity, but somehow they never succeed.

The music never really seems to take off no matter how much I listen to it, but on the other hand it doesn't get any worse either. It just lies somewhere around the middle and doesn't really move too much out of the place. No doubt Vermin has some alright ideas, but unfortunately it never transfers into something appealing.