Perversity- Ablaze

Perversity is a death metal band from Slovakia. These guys have been pumping out solid music since their first demo in 1997. They go through members like clockwork, this album features both a guitarist and a bassist that are new to the band. This is their first release since we last heard from them on their 2008 album Beyond the Reach of Heaven. They seemed to be improving and it proved to be my favorite full-length from them thus far. Though their original demos were very appealing to me I could never seem to enjoy their full releases near as much. With Ablaze that has changed.

For the most part Ablaze is still made up of your standard death metal elements. It basically falls under the brutal category, with that being said it isn't an all out slam album. There are some tracks that stick out in a big way, one example of this is the chaotic "Devoted to Perdition". The track starts off with an extremely groggy, overwhelmingly heavy groove that slowly builds in terms of intensity. Although it may be easy to pick out the influences that inspired this track it still manages to be the best on the album, and it would be interesting to see Perversity dive a little deeper into this aspect of their sound.

The bass is audible the entire course of the record. In fact the first track even opens with a bass solo. The tone is fairly vibrant and punchy when it is called for. It is subtle enough that it shouldn't be too bothersome for people who don't enjoy heavy bass emphasis in their metal. The vocals mainly consist of gutturals. On occasion some tortured yells are incorporated that sound eerily similar to John Tardy's trademark wail (see "Merciless Messiah"). In terms of variation there isn't a whole lot to write home about here but also nothing to complain about. The growls are delivered with power and fit well with the instrumental output of Perversity.

Another thing that stands out on this record is the piano use. It is only incorporated on its own on the intro and the opening of "Necrophiliac Beast". The piece that was used to introduce the track "Necrophiliac Beast" is extremely odd sounding when put into the context of the album. The intro almost sounds like something that belongs on a pop album. Somehow, in a very strange way, it works and is a breath of fresh air that plays sort of like an intermission for Ablaze.

Overall Ablaze may be Perversity's greatest release to date. There is just enough brutality and energy here to put them above a good portion of the endless amount of bands that play this style of music. Perversity has shown that they have matured their songwriting a vast amount within the time between albums. This album may not be completely unique, but it packs one hell of a punch and definitely displays a bit more diversity in sound compared to the past releases. Fans of death metal should give this one a listen. It may not be the first album that I reach for when I go on a death metal binge, but it certainly isn't an album I'm going to let collect dust either.