There's a new player on the technical/progressive death metal scene folks, and they are called Eschaton from the New England area here in the old US of A. Their debut for Unique Leader offers up 11 tracks of precise, brutal, and memorable death metal, long on technical prowess but not 'showy' like some bands who toil in this style. Surprisingly, there's also a fair amount of groove to be had on Sentinel Apocalypse, a very important aspect that some bands tend to overlook. The line-up of Eschaton consists of Jason Viteri (Vocals), Joshua Berry (guitar), Jared Berry (guitar), Pat Pattison (bass) and Darren Cesca (drums).
Whether it's the crushing riffage, mind bending solos, or the mercurial drum acrobatics of Cesca on such raging face melters as "Immortal Mutilation", "Behold the Nexus", or the blistering "Animus", you can't help but be wowed at every juncture. Viteri sounds like a more brutal version of Vader's Piotr 'Peter' Wiwczarek, spewing out all sorts of venom with is vast array of deep growls, bellows, grunts, and screams, throwing out everything by the kitchen sink amid sizzling solos and relentless blasting on the manic "Falsified Existence" and the highly complex & completely brutal "Intergalactic Annihilation". Remember I mentioned the wealth of groove here on Sentinel Apocalypse? Well, check out the massive bottom end and extra 'thump' throughout "The Beast Is Awakened", as well as the catchy grooves housed within some uber-technical arrangements on "Cognitive Hatred". The closing title track also plays to the bands many strengths, delivering soaring melodies, massive chunka-chunka riffs, virtuoso lead guitar solos, rumbling bass, intense blasting, and Viteri's monstrous growls.
While there are many excellent progressive death metal bands out there today (and we all know who they are), Eschaton have announced here with the release of Sentinel Apocalypse that they are ready to enter the fray and battle it out with any of them. This is a band we will be hearing a lot from in the months and years ahead, so make sure to get on board now.
Track Listing
1. Obligatory Conviction
2. Behold The Nexus
3. Immortal Mutilation
4. Achromatic Reign
5. Animus
6. Falsified Existence
7. Intergalactic Annihilation
8. The Beast Is Embedded
9. The Beast Is Awakened
10. Cognitive Hatred
11. Sentinel Apocalypse
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