Pestilence – Levels of Perception

Pestilence – Levels of Perception
Release Date: 26th April 2024
Label: Agonia Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal
FFO: Morbid Angel, Atheist, Cynic.
Review By: Jeff Finch

Choosing to release an album that is full of re-recorded material, a bevy of different songs that fans might have already heard throughout the life of the band, is an interesting strategy. On the one hand, fans of the band might be rubbed the wrong way by a group they love simply deciding to redo some old tracks instead of writing new material, while folks who have not actually partaken in the band have something to latch onto as a jumping off point. I’m a member of the latter group, someone that has never listened to Pestilence before this release and, after jamming the record a multitude of times, it’s obvious that these gentlemen know how to craft some excellent death metal, with one big downfall.

If there is something that can be said immediately regarding this album, it’s that the performances are top-notch. From the inflection points of riffs accentuated with bass pops in our opener Horror Detox, to the crazy cymbal/china work in Mvlti Dimensional, right through a battle for supremacy between the bass and the lead guitar in Dominatvi Svbmissa, the musicianship on display in this album is sometimes just awe-inspiring in its technicality and ferocity. The latter of those tracks, Dominatvi Svbmissa, features a percussive performance that simply oozes unchecked aggression, a brilliant opening to the track that transitions perfectly into the aforementioned guitar/bass battle. The riffs pummel, bass almost sneakily keeping up the exact same tempo before that pop emphasizes the freneticism of the bass-lines, making us acutely aware henceforth that the bass is keeping rhythm and we best not forget it.

Land of Tears is simply frenzied, thrashy goodness with a death metal twist, head-spinning transitions and tempo-shifts dizzying and dazzling, as the drums are mercilessly beat with chaotic abandon. A surprising downshift in tempo leads into a great melodic solo at around the three-minute mark, the rest of the band a bit restrained, almost literally lulling listeners into a false sense of security as the group transitions back into the insane tempo, the guitarist absolutely shredding as we segue back into the main groove. 

And in speaking about the guitars, these things are absolute chainsaws; the whole of Mvlti Dimensional is just a raw, grimy, filthy old school slab of death metal, and the chorus features those downtuned buzz-saws ready to cut down anything in their path. Twisted Truth is full of those same chainsaw riffs, leading into the double bass, a masterful transition, as appealing as a death metal song can be outside of an actual chorus: the mid-tempo groove rife with borderline catchy riffs that yield some serious stank face.

Unfortunately, however, not all is well in the world of Pestilence on this record. Whether intentional or not, the production on this is questionable at best, absolutely rough at worst. When listening to this album, for example, and then something more well polished afterwards, the stark contrast in sound is jarring and completely obvious. One does not even need to have something as direct comparison; when the album starts, it sounds as if ones speakers are muffled and turned low. Granted, the performances are able to come through clearly, and they pop, but it also sounds like they’re being sifted through muddy water. If this was a conscious decision, I can only assume it was meant to make the album sound as grimy and unapproachable as possible, true OSDM. It doesn’t ruin the album, but it definitely lessens the enjoyment.

Having said all that, with this re-recording of new tracks, Pestilence has at least got this listener intrigued to listen to older material. The musical performances are stellar, the low growls are well done, if a tad one dimensional at points, and the songs flow brilliantly. But they just don’t sound as good as they could, and that’s a real disappointment. If you’re a listener like me that hasn’t jammed Pestilence before, and you can handle a spell of iffy production, this one should be on your radar, as the performances are more than worthy of being jammed at high volumes.

(3.5 / 5)