Neuraxis "The Thin Line Between"

Tracklist: 01. Darkness Prevails 02. Wicked 03. Versus 04. Deviation Occurs 05. The Thin Line Between 06. Dreaming The End 07. Standing Despite... 08. Oracle 09. Phoenix 10.The All And The Nothing Release: 2008 Genre: Death Metal URL: www.neuraxis.org Label: www.prostheticrecords.com

When a Canadian Death Metal band puts out an album, you can mostly buy it blindly. Neuraxis are a perfect example for this point. This troop comes from the same country as legendary bands like Gorguts, Cryptopsy, Martyr, Quo Vadis or Kataklysm, just to name a few. I'm really sure that we can name Neuraxis with the bands I have mentioned above soon because they're an inherent part of the Canadian Death Metal scene since a long time and always had put out good albums. On their current full length album it's certainly the same, but this time it's even a bit better than before. Their newest output is called "The Thin Line Between" and the listener will recognize very fast that Neuraxis have undergone a huge development. At Neuraxis it's the same as with Cryptopsy; every single album sounds different. But the significant difference here is that Neuraxis are giving a fuck about the present Deathcore trend in contrast to Cryptopsy. That was a point that pleasantly surprised me because on a label like Prosthetic Records I had assumed a development in an opposite way. It's really striking that there are still Death Metal bands around in these days that don't play any Hardcore/Metalcore breakdowns or similar stuff. Basically the new stuff here sounds so amazing that you could mix it up with the technical Death Metal classic releases of the 90's. Overall besides an increased technical level you can hear a big change in the songwriting too. The sound is generally darker and much more progressive than before. But their reliable Melodic/Brutality concept is still a part of the music and comes to effort very clever. So it's never too melodic or too brutal, it's simply perfectly balanced. Imagine that some Swedish Death Metal melodies would be mixed with crushing US Brutal Death. But like I've said before everything comes over in a dark atmosphere. At many parts you can hear a big Gorguts influence, especially recognizable through some similar weird guitar riffing. On the songs the "Thin Line Between" and "Oracle" Death Metal legend Luc Lemay (Gorguts) did some amazing guest vocals. All the people around who still sorrow about the split up of the genius band Gorguts, this album here will ease your pain. If we are really dealing with the best record in the bands history here is difficult to say. Anyhow everything sounds more mature and thought-out. The song structures are here in contrast to the great previous album way more straightforward knitted. To come clear, they don't use so many speed changes and style changes as before. In general it makes a very positive and solid impression on me. There is also another big change here. Singer Ian Campbell is not to be heard on this album. Instead of him Alex Leblanc from Atheretic has been fetched on board. Personally I prefer his vocals more because they sound way rawer and darker. Altogether it fits better to the new sound. I think with this album Neuraxis have found their personal sound and I really hope that they will continue on this way. I can also only say positive things about the sound production. The sound is detailed and powerful without sounding too clean, synthetic or overproduced. So, we are dealing with a very good Death Metal full length album here that should be attractive for every fan of bands like Cryptopsy, Gorguts or Atheretic. If Gorguts should soon play music again and put out a new album then you'll know why. The boys have been inspired by the new Neuraxis album then.

Rating: 90 % | from Gore | Date: 10.05.09 | Time: 21:00	shut down