Xenocide "Galactic Oppression" Reveiw

Location: Vancouver BC

Genre: Technical Death Metal / Galactic Death Metal

Release Date: 2011

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Vancouver's own cosmic brutality machine, Xenocide may not have the name recognition of The Faceless or Rings of Saturn, but their 2011 release "Galactic Opression" prove themselves to be just as skilled at both playing their instruments as they are at crafting songs that are both, perfectly constructed, fiercely resounding, and titanically heavy.

I, Warning-not to waste listeners time, Xenocide begin their musical battering right after an intricate bass introduction, the absolute skill of the guitar players in this bamd is immediatley apparent, as is the infectiously rhythmic drumming and the viciously powerful and refreshingly different vocal rumblings and howls that rip into listening ears and something I cant really place but it sounds really nice and somewhat different. It's a great opening track and it defmitely sets the bar high for the entire recording.

Space Rot- A far more breakneck song than what came before, "Space Rot" shows off Xenocide's talents at making bristling music that has just as much technicality as the less chuggy songs on the album. The music is no less fantastic and even a little of a piano outro to give the song some flair. A song that is interesting, fun and even a bit surprising nearthe end, the piano isn't at all unwelcome and it doesnt come out of nowhere but it still does surprise.

Death From Orbit-Have to love how Xenocide can continually live up to the standards they set for themselves song by song, a sort of hybrid of the past two songs on "Galactic Opression" the crushing music is dark and ferocious and pulverizing, the guitar solos that intersperse the song are haunting and sinister. The combination of both the absolutely wonderful forms of music Xenocide has already displayed becomes one utterly facemelting onslaught of wonderfully technical metal that is fascinating to listen to.

Remnants Of Organics-One of the wonderful things about Xenocide is the ability they have to spin off their formula just enough so that you still know its a Xenocide song but just different enough that it doesnt sound like a rehash of another song of theirs. It's no less technical and every bit as brutal, the more clean and writhing guitar moments in between the smashing interludes keep some variety in play and keeps "Galactic Oppression" fresh. When so much music in this day and age relies on albums of singles that get released and the rest of the music is just filler, metal is one of the few scenes hat hasn't devolved into that formula and Xenocide is a band that really exemplifies that fact.

Misanthropic Dreams- Amazing instrumental track, as with most instrumental tracks it sounds a great deal more mellow than the rest of the album, a very powerful and amazing compsition that gives us a chance to catch up with the breakneck speed that band has moved at since the begining of "Galactic Opression"

Galactic Opression- Saving the best for last, the title track on "Galactic Opression" is the culmination of everything that the band has displayed in one very immense, very impressive piece of music. The fact the song is a little extra long certainly doesnt hurt.

Forgotten Bloodlines & Empty Oaths- Amazingly this band and album seem to have the power to never get old or overdone in any way, shape, or form. Xenocide are musicians that are incapable of losing stride or missing step, this song has met if not shattered the bar that the opening track set, as is the case with the rest of the massive talents throughout the recording.

Xenocide- Gotta love an ending track that makes you want to listen to the whole album again. It's as catchy as it is phenomenally heavy and technical and the fact it made me want to listen to the whole album again was not an isolated incident. If it weren't for the fact I had to come and write about how amazing this album is, I would still be listening to it into infinite!

Lyrically, musically and artisticly, Xenocide are a band thats is a breath of fresh air. Their debut recording "Galactic Opression" is a fantastic showing of everything thats right with the technical metal scene. Their talent is out of this world, the idea is stellar, and the fact they don't have a larger following is the truly alien idea here.

Posted in: Mp3 full album