Album Reviews : Defamer – Chasm

Defamer – no, not the shitty Australian pop/gossip website that you’ve found on your very prompt Google search. Scroll down a bit, maybe a page or two and you’ll no doubt find that which I am here to talk about – the metal version, a 5-piece Death metal attack out of Brisbane, Australia.

So then to the band’s debut full length album titled Chasm. We begin with a haunting ‘Egyptian thus in metal terms immediately referred to as Nile’ sounding introduction which kicks things off in style, complete with chanting, whispering and an moody atmosphere that could easily summon the Balrog from the ‘Chasm’ in the Mines of Moria – all in a very metal kind of way.

But I hear you say “pray do tell, what is this album apart from a moody intro track?” Well, I’ll tell you of course. This is a straight out and slightly old-school sounding Death Metal machine at work here. With adequate production on the album, the thrashy drumming and fast and brutal riffage lead to an interesting albeit sometimes unoriginal blend of the death metal scene. Tempo changes between each songs work nicely, never letting you, the listener, get into a comfortable state of headbanging… it keeps things interesting enough to easily make it through to the end of the album.

The Nile reference earlier wasn’t an accident either, as many times throughout the album I’m reminded of their surely obvious musical influence from the American quartet. This is most apparent to me in the vocals with their short, sharp, low syllable count lyrics, and to a lesser extent a few of the guitar riffs/awesome solos. I must say thankfully though, they don’t seem anywhere near as cocky or pretentious (read: excessively self assured) as the aforementioned Americans!

With supports already chalked up for bands such as Carcass, Psycroptic, Gospel of the Horns and Children of Bodom, only good things are to come from the venues and studios that Defamer call home. 7/10

Band: Defamer
Album: Chasm
Year: 2009
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Self Released
Origin: Brisbane, Australia
http://www.myspace.com/defamermetal

Track listing:
1. In Umbris
2. In Winter It Began
3. The Inverse Dominion
4. The Black Obscene (Reviewers Choice)
5. Of The Chasm
6. Inertial Grind
7. Chorus of Whispers
8. Maelstrom
9. Endless Hordes Expiring
10. Abysmal Misery