Unlike many bands which might justifiably take issue with having their music described as "old-school" death metal,
Burning Human simply have no excuse because the majority of their 2009 debut album,
Resurrection Through Fire, was actually conceived over a decade before it was recorded. What's more, if there can be such a thing as "mainstream" death metal, this is it, since there's no obvious lean towards any specific subdivision of the genre, like the notably melodic Gothenburg bands, or the clean and precise Canadian contingent, or even the sludgy but technical style common to many American East Coast outfits during
Burning Human's original, mid-'90s existence. No, the bulk of
Resurrection Through Fire consists of decidedly "mainstream," "old-school," though not unimaginative death metal that will sound like a long lost friend to fans partial to perennial favorites like
Obituary,
Malevolent Creation, and
Deicide, among others. Chunky riffs, guttural but intelligible growls, and typically busy but never uselessly flashy percussion from
Shadows Fall drummer Jason Bittner provides plenty of thrust behind gradually emerging highlights like "Chemical Experimentation," the Death-like "Self-Inflicted Crucifixion," and the ominous title track, with its tolling bells intro. Fair warning: with the exception of the latter and perhaps the highly atypical, 90-second blast of "Mass Murder," the entire album requires a second listen before the quality of
Burning Human's songwriting begins to sink in; but the patience expended is well worth it, and it is clear that the veteran musicians' refusal to give up on their ancient collaborations was well justified in the end. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia