2024 Massacre Records (CD / LP)
www.massacre-records.com
Amputate's sound is an amalgamation of the Florida death metal greats, particularly Morbid Angel, but I also hear some Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, and Malevolent Creation in their riffs and in their songwriting style. They definitely have a bit of a European feel to them as well, since they tend a bit more toward the melodic than those bands, but they would have fit right in in the 1990s in America.
Musically Amputate plays solid mid- to fast-paced death metal with amazing solos. The solos themselves made this record stand out. There aren't many death metal bands really focusing on stuff like that. The songs become a bit long, with most closing in on or exceeding 5 minutes, but they at least attempt to hold your interest for the whole record, which is also a bit long for my taste. Save a couple of those tracks and do a 10-inch record as a stopgap release or something. I think that would be the way I would do it.
The second half of the album is arguably the better half, starting with "Cavernous Temple of the Absurd," which stands well above the rest of the songs. The ample changes in riffs, tempos, and again the incredible solos make it stand out. "Hybrid Organism" stands out for the same reasons, and the record itself continues on this trajectory after these 2 songs. I was pleased to see an album that grows on me instead of leading with the best stuff and letting the other tracks be filler. This made me work a bit to get to the good stuff. And that's ok.
If, like me, you're after older-sounding death metal a lot of the time, when you want a break from the brutality that has a hold on the scene right now, this may be the band you want to track down. It's definitely easy on the ears, but it may not impress you right out of the gate. Give it some time to sink in.
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