3rd War Collapse – Catastrophic Epicenter
Release Date: 24th August 2023
Label: Lethal Scissor Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Brutal Death Metal, Death Metal.
FFO: Dying Fetus, Misery Index, Skinless, Criminal Element.
Review By: Jeff Finch
As the mighty Hank Hill once quipped, ‘mother of god, it’s all toilet sounds.’ This is likely what non fans of Brutal Death metal envision, and at times, they’re not wrong at all, typically paired alongside snare drums that would make St. Anger sound overproduced, and absolutely pummeling, downtuned, caveman riffs. Now, though these are beliefs with some basis in reality, they are not all that the genre has to offer. The focus of today’s review, 3rd War Collapse, brings a sledgehammer of riffs and violently angry lyrics, with enough variation in their sound to please most fans of death metal, in general.
As previously mentioned, there are riffs; ignorant, filthy, caveman riffs that, if nothing else, will get the head moving, windmilling if possible at points, meant to wreak havoc in musical venues, moshing the only way to expel enough energy. Over the course of this very short 31 minute runtime, 3rd War Collapse doesn’t do anything overtly different to bring about new sounds to the genre; rather, what they do is pummel the listener for the duration, rarely straying from their pocket of double bass, blast beats, frenetic riffs, and vocals that range from raspy death growls to low, borderline ‘toilet noises.’
Where the group really brings the heat during those moments of restraint, even if it’s just bringing the riffs to half-tempo while the drums continue their blistering pace, driving home the power of the guitar, every note just oozing filth, enough energy contained therein to power a small city. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, riffs and licks pulled straight from 80s thrash, akin to Slayer, provide the listener with something a bit more melodious to focus on as the drummer incessantly hammers the kit and the vocals run the gamut.
There are moments on the record that perk the ears a bit, such as Fomites and Killing Each Other, where tracks begin with television / movie quotes, giving a bit of insight into the hellish nightmare to come, the former later referencing mutations that ‘propagate panic,’ as fear of spreading infection and disease is a very real human instinct. The latter is an obvious reference to mass shooting and the seemingly hardwired desire for humans to cause harm to and kill one another. It’s a bleak but accurate commentary on the world, and when presented through the brutal lens of insanely paced riffs and percussion, it’s rendered all the more effective and sinister.
If it doesn’t seem as though there was much explicit material to pull from this record to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, that’s a testament to the consistency of the group. Very little on this record truly stands out from the rest, apart from the aforementioned pieces, but at the same time, that means very little negatively stands out on this record. It can get very same-y, but 3rd War Collapse knows what they do well and does not overstay their welcome. This is a lean 31 minutes, and in that time, we are subjected to riff after riff, blast beat after blast beat, death growl after death growl, a band that knows what they’re expected to do and therefore does not deviate, providing a quick tutoring session of ‘how to write great brutal death metal: 101.’ Fans of the band and the genre will unquestionably find enjoyment here, and those that don’t really care for one or the other aren’t likely to change their views with this one. And that’s fine because, in releasing Catastrophic Epicenter, this band understands that what they need to express requires an unmatched ferocity from start to finish. That may not appeal to everyone, but it appeals to this listener.
(3.5 / 5)
