Alter Self is a new band from Greece and this is their first demo. Their sound moves in the sphere of technical brutal death and they perform quite well at it.
Alter Self have a strong personal element. They pay much attention to the technical part of their music, going several steps further from the usual brutal death. This is made possible mainly because of their above average musical skills. In only three songs they manage to unroll a very interesting set of elements. The riffs and leads are very good, with many shifts and melody on occasion, without losing in aggressiveness. Distinct bass lines emerge here and there followed by rhythm changes and tempo shifts. The drumming is just great, holding the tempo, but also adding much to the overall experience with extra touches when needed. The vocals are a little above average, good but not special.
"Ashes over Eden" is a highly technical demo. It brings to my mind old Death, viewed by a groovier perspective. It offers well balanced sound and interesting compositions. Alter Self manage to transcend over many difficulties brutal death bands face. Their sound has a constant flow, it doesn't get boring or tiring, every song is equally good and sounds different from the other and generally is worth to listen to. It is unfortunate this is a three track demo, I will personally look forward to listen to their next work. |
