`The Existence of Agony’ is the second pummelling album from this brutal bunch from Istanbul, but the first time I have ever come across them. I was curious to see what Turkish brutal death metal would sound like, to see if they added any original or ethnic influences to what can be a very narrowly defined genre.
I can report without hesitation, that this album is exactly what you would expect! The band could really have been from anywhere, although if I had listened to them blind, I would have assumed they were from the States. So, they get absolutely zero points for originality. However, this is not necessarily a problem, and has certainly not held other bands back!
There is one thing that cannot be denied; this album is seriously punishing. Decaying Purity have a huge collection of athletic, single note riffs that fly up and down the fret board, with a perfectly timed snare blast underneath each note, as well as the other typical tools of the trade; gargantuan, chugging, half time riffs, nasty pick squeals, frantic time changes, low, guttural vocals which sound like a furious gorilla on steroids has invaded the studio. Brutal and intense it certainly is; memorable it isn’t – at least for the first half of the album, basically takes a baseball bat to your ear drums and beats you to a bloody pulp.
The second half of the album is where things start to get interesting in my opinion. `The Forsaken Tomb of the Impious’ has some excellent riffs that you can almost remember, as well as possessing some seriously excellent dynamics, and a face-flattening mid-paced section in the middle of the song which is actually dark and atmospheric, as well as brutal and crushing (albeit brief). The rest of the album continues in the same vein, with some truly great moments amongst all the blasting and roaring, including some surprisingly melodic, atmospheric passages. When Decaying Purity put their minds to it, they can really shine in a way that allows them to stand out, above the thousands of other bands creating this kind of music
The band are clearly talented musicians; every song is an exercise in guitar gymnastics, supreme technicality and unrelenting brutality. There are no solos, or frills as such, but they sure do know how to write a riff, and can occasionally dazzle you with their brilliance.
To sum up then; Decayed Purity are by no means original, yet they bludgeon with conviction and aplomb, occasionally producing some amazing results. Fans of Deeds of Flesh and Disgorge in particular may enjoy this album and its relentlessness, but there are also a handful of slightly more subtle moments, hinting at other talents the band may develop over time.
http://www.myspace.com/decayingpuritytur
Jon Butlin
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