Friday 27 December 2013

Amon - Liar In Wait (Vinyl Edition) (Album Review)



Album Type : Full Length
Date Released : 31/1/2014
Label : FDA Rekotz

Liar In Wait (Vinyl Edition), track listing :

1. Among Us 04:46
2. Eye of the Infinite 04:25
3. Lash Thy Tongue and Vomit Lies 03:57
4. Liar in Wait 04:22
5. Reaching for Flesh 03:00
6. Semblance of Man 05:15
7. Sentience and Sapience 03:26
8. Spat Forth from the Darkness 03:40
9. Wraith of Gaia 03:21

Bio :

AMON formed in 1987 in Tampa, Florida, before changing their name to DEICIDE and pioneering the American death metal movement. After their highly-publicized departure from DEICIDE, brothers Eric and Brian Hoffman resurrected AMON to spread the unholy plague all over the world.  

Liar In Wait contains nine bone-crushing songs, recorded at Red Room Recorders with Mark Prator and will be released in Europe with an new and exclusive artwork, created by Misanthropic Artwork, with the layout done by ArtWars Mediadesign. The European edition is limited to 200 gold/black marbled copies and 400 Satanic black copies. Package deals that include the new AMON t-shirt are being offered as well. FDA Rekotz will unleash this beast on January 31st

The Band :

Eric Hoffman | Guitars
Brian Hoffman | Guitars
Jechael – Vocals | Bass
Mike Petrak | Drums
Review :

When Eric and Brian Hoffman left Deicide back in 2004, many wondered if they would re-surface. Now they have, and a most welcome return they make. The leads are back, the riffs are back, the armour is back. Amon is back!

First things first, this is brutal stuff. If you were expecting a re-tread of the first Deicide album (of which the Hoffman's wrote a great deal) or even of the rough and ready “Amon: Feasting The Beast” release... think again. “Among Us” kicks things off. It is fast and furious, the riffs snake around, the fret boards get shredded and live sounding drums get a real hammering. The vocals are low and growled, not screechy, and the band really summons up a cacophonous noise. “Eye of The Infinite” continues this pummelling tradition with blast beats and Morbid Angel like rhythms to the drums and vocal lines. “Lash thy Tongue and Vomit Lies” offers impossibly precise guitar work and a frenzied approach.

The title track is up next and “Liar In Wait” does not disappoint. Many cymbals get battered as the band whips up a storm over numerous time changes and the kind of odd, lurching grooves that DM fans from the early 90's will instantly enjoy. “Reaching For Flesh” is also deeply unpleasant- the riffs and rhythms coming so thick and fast it is hard to follow without listening to it on headphones.  Superb lead work on this one too- Eric was generally regarded as the more masterful player in Deicide, but I can't recognise the styles per se. I recognise quality when I hear it, mind, and this is excellent.

“Semblance of Man” is the longest cut on the record- but fear not; the fury does not dissipate even for a moment. Warp speed is reached here in places, along with chugging sections that get the head nodding. “Sentience and Sapience” is oddly catchy in places; the snaking riffs leave an impression, coming as they do in the midst of a maelstrom. “Spat Forth From The Darkness” is perhaps the closest the band come to the brother's former outfit but is not ineffective or pale by comparison. It is still much more tech-focussed than Benton's men, though, and much more challenging to listen to. “Wraith of Gaia” is the last song here and it ups the twiddly riff quotient even further.

The bottom line here is that the Hoffman brothers are indeed back. If you want brutal tech-death, then you have found the album you need. After listening to this, I need a break from heaviness and may have to put a bit of folk on. Furious and demanding death metal.

Words by : Richard Maw

You can buy it here