Album Reviews : Separatist – The Motionless Apocalypse

I can’t think of many bands who can earn a high praise from me on just their first full length album. Of course there are a few, most recently in the Australian scene would be Be’lakor, however I feel I can safely say that Tasmanian Death Metallers Separatist’s debut release ‘The Motionless Apocalypse’ is one that after the couple of tracks I knew I was going to take great pleasure from.

Playing a style of death metal that could be considered a mix between fellow Tasmanian band Psycroptic and The Black Dahlia Murder, Separatist have created what can only be described as a massive sound. It seriously kicks you in the face with powerful and often technical guitar riffage that will instantaneously make your body pulsate into a headbanging frenzy. Strong expansive vocals – with an impressive lower end – provided by front man Sam Dishington don’t necessarily offer anything new in the genre, but they don’t need to as they are very well suited to the sound that Separatist has to offer.

However it isn’t all death metal growling. This is demonstrated on one of my favourite tracks on the album – In Dissonant Silence Pt 1: Censura (Track 7). Here Sam offers a taste of clean vocals during the first half of the song. And while they mightn’t be all that spectacular, they certainly work in this song. In fact the whole song would not be out of place on a Sunk Loto album (Think of the tracks ‘Starved’ and ‘Everything Everyway’). This serves to highlight the bands musical range and varied influence contained within.

I think you really need to listen to the whole album to fully appreciate the bands diversity. The production of the album is excellent, above and beyond what one expects for a debut recording. And if Separatist can continue forward with their diversity, while still keeping the death metal basis which they seem to have already perfected, then they have the ability to create music beyond their efforts on this album which would truly be a delight to behold.

Now just to amp up the promotion of their band both home and abroad, then look out Death Metal, Separatist is coming to dominate you! 9/10

For fans of: Psycroptic/Ruins, The Black Dahlia Murder, Skinless, Suffocation, Quo Vadis.

Band: Separatist
Album: The Motionless Apocalypse
Year: 2008
Genre: Progressive/Death Metal
Label: Independant Release
Origin: Tasmania, Australia
http://www.myspace.com/separatist

Track Listing:
1. Prelude
2. The Reprieve <– Reviewers Choice (free download on Myspace)
3. Plagues
4. A Gentle Reminder
5. Anaclasis
6. Untitled
7. In Dissonant Silence Pt 1: Censura
8. In Dissonant Silence Pt 2: Decessus
9. The Earth Defiled
10. I Despise
11. Like Shattered Stars
12. The Harvest