Animosity are a group of teenagers from San Francisco who originally wanted to play hardcore but now a few years later have developed a very technical form of death metal that will most certainly draw interest from fans of the genre. These guys (none of the band are older than 20) play a dizzying brand of extreme metal that is an manic as it is crushing, with guitar riffs and drum blasts flying all around the mix and the growling vocals of Leo Miller conjuring up plenty of nightmarish images. At times the music is just too overpoweringly chaotic for its own good, but you still have to commend the lads for the sheer talent they possess. Songs like "Holy Shackles", with its mix of pounding riffs and breakneck fills, and the insane romp of the title track, will instantly appeal to fans who love Into the Moat or The Dillinger Escape Plan. The band even approach Nile or Death intensity on the blistering "Plutocracy", complete with intricate guitar riffs and nimble percussion.
While the musicanship of the band is easily appreciated, the vocals of Miller will not be for everyone. His gutteral delivery and non-stop growling is very brutal, so don't expect to understand a word of it. If you can overlook and get used to his brand of extreme vocals, then the music of Empires will certainly unearth many complexities that you don't always find in a band this young.
Track Listing
1. Thieves
2. Commoditism
3. Holy Shackles
4. Empires
5. The Black Page
6. Life Advocate
7. Manhunt
8. Plutocracy
9. Shut It Down
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