Back in the '70s -- before the rise of
Slayer, before there was death metal/black metal, grindcore, hardcore, metalcore, rap-metal, or alternative metal -- bands like
Judas Priest,
Black Sabbath,
Deep Purple, and
Rainbow were considered the ultimate in heaviness. But those headbangers, for all their aggression, were quite melodic and musical. In the '80s and '90s,
Slayer and similar bands took heaviness to a whole new level of brutality, and they accomplished that with the use of density. Metal that offers more space and breathing room isn't as punishing; metal that goes for maximum density can be painfully harsh, which is a perfect way to describe
Deadsoil's debut EP,
Forever the Enemy. From lead vocalist Marcel Strötter's tortured screaming to the musicians' extremely dense playing, this 19-minute disc underscores the violently ferocious nature of metalcore (which is hardcore taken to the extreme). There is nothing remotely subtle about
Deadsoil; this German band is totally unforgiving. As far as metalcore goes,
Forever the Enemy is neither the best nor the worst that the style has to offer; this mosh pit-friendly CD (which was recorded in 2003) isn't in a class with the best recordings of
Hatebreed or
Throwdown, but it's decent -- and if one is the mood to be battered, kicked, and mercilessly pummeled, sledgehammer tunes like "Pushed Into Ruin" and "40 Degrees" do the trick. Of course, bands as harsh as
Deadsoil aren't everyone's cup of tea; metalcore, like free jazz and techno, is definitely an acquired taste. But for those who do appreciate metalcore's unrepentant cruelty,
Forever the Enemy indicates that
Deadsoil is worth keeping an eye on. ~ Alex Henderson