DAATH

Although many bands choose to self-title their debut and then proceed to use more particular names for following efforts, American metal act Dååth has waited six years since their first album to make this statement. For those who haven't heard this band, their sound seems to rest within some amalgamation of extreme metal sub-genres. Throughout the course of their music, the spectrum seems to be covered, ranging from the brutality of death metal, to the speed of thrash, with noticeable portions of metalcore and industrial metal thrown in to create a brand of metal that's difficult to place under any single label. As a newcomer to the music of this band, I am aware of the stigma and criticism the band seems to have acquired from previous work, for being apparently too 'mainstream' and 'weak.' If any of this criticism is indeed merited for earlier work, then Dååth seems to have created an album that will hopefully challenge the preconceptions of listeners who think them unworthy.

At times progressive, other times subtle, and generally interesting throughout it's course, 'Dååth' is an album that runs virtually seamlessly from one track to the next- especially during the stronger first half- that gives the impression of this album being a cohesive work, as opposed to a mere collection of songs. Opening with the ambitiously titled 'Genocidal Maniac,' the album very quickly goes to show the band's marriage of technical ability and melodic sensibility. After an atmospheric introduction led by the guitar leads of Emil Werstler, the music sporadically breaks into a tight rhythm section, now dominated by the metalcore-derived vocals of Sean Zatorsky, a growler who shows some strong signs in parts during the album, but whose rasp doesn't work well for every section he takes part in.

The second track 'Destruction/Restoration' kicks in without any pause, making it possible for a listener not to even realize the track has changed. The heavy, technical music is interspersed throughout the album with a few sparse mellow sections, which while rare on 'Dååth,' contribute a great deal. 'Indestructible Overdose' for example, opens with a little electronic, classically baroque leaning introduction before being starkly contrasted with the metal. Later on in the track, all heaviness abates to make way for a pleasant acoustic interlude. While the dynamic starts to wane during the second half, it is these little details in the music that makes it all the better.

In general, the album sadly begins to start loosing the great sense of flow and composition by the time 'Exit Plan' rolls around. With this track, I can see why the band might get criticism; the chorus in particular reeks of pseudo-brutality, as if the band is trying too hard to sound 'hardcore.' Making ample use of the 'chug-chug' guitar work, and largely ineffective (and therefore unnecessary) use of profanities, the straightforward and somewhat lackluster nature of this track does contrast the intelligent and complex sound that other songs on 'Dååth' seem to have aspired to.

With that being said, 'Dååth' is a very promising album by this American band, but it is inconsistent; a mixed bag of the excellent and mediocre. This self-titled work will no doubt however, serve to have a few haters questioning their beliefs while listening to some of the better work on this album. Personally, this has been a positive introduction to this band, and I will go on to explore the rest of Dååth's catalogue in the months to come.

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