Dead Syndicate – The Carrion Creed
Black Morning Star Records – January 13, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Dead Syndicate’s sound is American through and through, which makes sense considering the quintet hail from Virginia. Coming off the EP
Like Razors Through Flesh,
The Carrion Creed is the group’s full-length debut, and despite a handful of minor complaints, it’s a very good exemplification of straightforward death metal that avoids carbon copying any of the subgenre’s pioneers, or the band’s current peers, but maybe comes too close for the nitpickers.
Almost every review of
The Carrion Creed has mentioned
Morbid Angel, so now that obligatory reference is out of the way. It’s a fitting comparison, though, especially since
Dead Syndicate tout the fact that they’ve opened for those death metal stalwarts. What letter are they on now – I? Anyway, the five-piece is marginally impressive instrumentally, and so there is no weak point as far as musicianship is concerned. In fact, drummer and eldest member Michael Arcane seems the most gifted of the troupe, consistently dishing out more double-bass than an actual drum shop. His cymbal work is nice, too. However, the production is somewhat muddy, but not enough to necessarily make an issue of it. As a matter of fact, it could be argued that the production adds a natural feel to the material.
Often, as in opener
‘Plague of All Plagues,’ the tempo is lightning fast, which continues on
‘Kampstoff Lost (Agent H)’ after a typical war soundclip subsides. Perhaps most memorable is
‘Whore of Babylon’ due to the lyrics and
Nile/
Melechesh melodies that the midsection brandishes like in no other song. The track is significantly slower than its brethren as well, but therein lies its appeal.
‘Kill Like a God’ is easily another highlight, though there’s not a runt among the bunch if interludes
‘Weeping on the Shores of Lucrine Lake’ and the title track aren’t included.
When all is said and done,
Dead Syndicate offer approximately 45 minutes of sturdy death metal. Some will pass up
The Carrion Creed on the grounds that it’s not very original. That’s true – it’s not. However, these guys certainly warrant a listen if you think of yourself as a death metal connoisseur.
Official Dead Syndicate Website
Official Black Morning Star Records Website
