Dismemberment - Denied Salvation (2012)

Thanks to Mr. Gogmagogical, I've been exposed to one of the most pleasurable collections of music this year, surprisingly in the form of an EP, but excellent despite my stereotypes against the format. There's no doubt I'm guilty of gazing over an EP and assuming the release is going to be something less than a full-length or nothing more than a newbie attempt to establish an identity in a music scene. I must say, however, the prejudice appears only if the band is new or has little experience under their proverbial belt, but, honestly, Dismemberment sidesteps the amateur part of the equation and hits a home run with their second showing. The band's first record was an effort to cement their blackened thrash metal roots in place, but Denied Salvation improves upon the formula in all the right areas and ends up checking the correct boxes for a thrashin' good time.

While there is nary a track fit for mass consumption on Denied Salvation, "Perpetual Malice" was put forth by the band as a freebie, presumably because the opening riff is a monster of epic proportions (not quite thrash metal, but not exactly black metal either). I assume Dismemberment had the accessibility factor in mind when considering the track as a "single" because it mixes all the ingredients for keeping the door wide open to newcomers toward a hybridization of two metal subgenres. Denied Salvation's first track, "Last Rites" takes the typical black metal chord stylings, but builds a thrashy base around them--numerous sections of the song provide perfect example of black metal, so much that you might think it's approaching full-blown frosty grimness, instead of making a beeline toward a rabid pile of thrash riffing.

"Reap What You Sow" tears ferociously at listeners' eardrums with machine gun-like blast beating, as well as more of the patented Dismemberment sound, but discards the blueprint for a melodically tremolo-picked midsection that's mind blowing when placed next to the rest of the band's music. Compositionally speaking, "Gateways to the Past" is brimming with more tremolo picking, while heavily supplemented by vicious vocals reminiscent of the black metal idols. Although Shively's rasps are diabolically evil for Denied Salvation's 23 minute run time, something about their place on the track tugs at my inner crazed madman. The EP's closer, "System to Rise," gets my vote as weakest from the record, but unfortunately less memorable than the others. It utilizes many of the elements from other Dismemberment tracks, but the paste used to hold it together isn't as strong, if you get my drift.

In the end, there's a very positive vibe after listening to Denied Salvation because it balances the ideal amount of black metal with thrash metal. The EP remains more thrash than black, but there's never a moment when it lets you forget that it's influenced by Norway's best, even when the combo leans toward the thrashy side. I reckon we'll see something absolutely shocking from Dismemberment as they move toward releasing their first full-length, but for now we have an up and coming rival to Skeletonwitch, who currently hold the black-thrash crown. As much as I can emphasize it through a wall of text, Denied Salvation is recommended.

-TMA