Album Reviews : Trigger The Bloodshed – Degenerate

With their debut album Purgation leaning too heavily on the then-arising Deathcore trend, and then 2008’s The Great Depression featuring a glut of overly technical and soulless tunes, Trigger The Bloodshed’s third album would seriously need to show a lift in the song writing department if they want to push themselves above the Death Metal also-rans. With Degenerate it’s obvious that they’ve stepped up to the plate, as their third record completely annihilates Trigger The Bloodshed’s back catalogue in all departments; riffs, production, vocals – everything. With ex-Aborted drummer Dan Wilding making his album debut, Degenerate features eight tracks of sheer Death Metal brilliance.

From the opening chaos of “A Vision Showing Nothing”, Trigger the Bloodshed’s new, more mature song writing approach is extremely obvious. That’s not to say that the English wrecking crew are no longer heavy, quite the contrary to be honest, with a more Cannibal Corpse meets Bloodbath style to their sound – brutal, but with songs that are instantly memorable. While “De-Breed” features some shredding guitar work from lead axeman Rob Purnell, it’s vocalist Jonny Burgan who steals the song, and probably the album as a whole. His exceptionally vicious roars, nicely complimented by Purnell’s guttural backing growls, remain both decipherable and uncompromisingly extreme, without every descending into the clichéd pig squeals or pterodactyl high screeches.

While it’s something that isn’t said a lot in Death Metal music, Degenerate features truly exceptional lyrics, as Burgan tackles such topics as consumerism, discrimination, drug abuse and religion with honest conviction. The neck wrecking groove of “The Soulful Dead” is a guaranteed pit inducer, with Wilding’s rampaging drums easily moving between blasts and slow rhythms with ease, before climaxing with a truly momentous outro featuring walls of guitars and Burgan’s possessed vocals. “Dead Vein” shows off the technical side of the five piece, with dancing fret work moving at a runaway pace, while the following “Dethrone” brings to mind Polish giants Behemoth, with an epic intro section giving way to a volley of guitar riffs and hell for leather drums.

While some of the Death Metal old guard may over look them for their haircuts, Trigger The Bloodshed are the real deal, and with Degenerate the young Brit’s have released one of 2010’s best Death Metal albums. Brutal. 8.5/10

Band: Trigger The Bloodshed
Album: Degenerate
Year: 2010
Genre: Death Metal
Origin: Bristol, England
Label: Metal Blade/Rising Records
www.myspace.com/triggerthebloodshed

Track listing:

1. A Vision Showing Nothing
2. De-breed
3. Hollow Prophecy
4. Dead Vein
5. Dethrone
6. A Sterile Existence
7. The Soulful Dead
8. Until Kingdom Comes