Album Type: Full Length
“Macrocosmos” CD//DD//LP track listing:
2). Aeon
3). Serpentine
4). Contagion
5). Chaosphere
6). Shadows of Infinity
7). Pendulum
8). Primordial
9). Ethereal
The Review:
Well, I didn't expect a death metal album this brutal to grab me in 2021... but I also did not expect a death metal album to be this good! This is death metal in the ultra-machined style. It sounds incredible, no option for drums that aren't triggered/played on an electronic kit or programmed here as it is fast and furious in the extreme. The themes are science fiction- clearly, from the title and other track names.
This album has it all- it has members only known by identifying numbers, warp speed drums, wonderful musicianship, lots of changes and solos. There is some great additional synth work throughout as well. The information sheet lists Morbid Angel as a comparison point for fans to work from and that sounds exactly right to me- but Morbid Angel when they were really great with those brutal atonal riffs.
There are no real surprises here across the nine tracks- you get four or five minutes of metal across each song and really each is as fully committed as the last. Having the title track up first is a bold move that pays off, as it let me know exactly what I was getting. From there I simply was not disappointed. I reviewed the band's “Apotheosynthesis” very positively back in 2015 (!) but this record is even better- it has a more developed feel to the riffs, production and songs. That's no mean feat, either, as the debut was really good and more than held its own against the other tech death stand outs of that year.
The band have distilled and crystallised exactly what I (and I assume other fans) want from the genre- technical virtuosity, speed, time changes, guttaral vocals and that indefinable atmosphere that conjures up the vibe only real death metal can convey. Much like their debut, this has a mechanised and dystopian feel. Truly, the band are masters of their craft as the performances really are flawless and I can only imagine the many hours that went into writing and perfecting this record.
Whether it be the rhythmical and interesting “Chaosphere” or the slow and sinister start to “Shadows Of Infinity” (check out the time change just after the three minute mark; it is fantastic), the record does offer up some variety in the brutality on offer. It retains the sci-fi vibe and feel throughout and again the synths are quite welcome in terms of texture and atmosphere. It's testimony to the quality here that you can play any track and it will be representative of the album as a whole- “Primordial” is just as listenable as “Serpentine” and every track works as part of the album and on its own.
I can only find things that I like about this record. The playing, production, vibe and songs are all in place and the whole thing adds up to a death metal tour de force of some magnitude. Fractal Generator should be a well-known name in the death metal world, I can only hope that this review takes the band further towards that recognition. This is for all death metal fans to check out- it's a great album so don't miss out.
“Macrocosmos” is available HERE
