REVIEW: Six of Swords, “Regime Decay” EP

By: Richard Maw


Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 19/10/2018

Label: Independent

This record is wedded to the corpse of early to mid 90's old school DM and is all the better for it

“Regime Decay” CD//DD track listing:

1). Eye for an Eye

2). No Amnesia

3). Malodorous

4). Hunted

5). Hells Messiah

6). Hedonistic Gluttony

The Review

Six of Swords, Canada's finest death metal troupe, return with this beastly collection of six prime cuts. “Polar Vortex” was an EP release that ran surprisingly hot, reviewed on the blog a few years ago. This record has taken all elements present there and ratcheted them up a notch. 

Once again, the production is clear and powerful and the opener “Eye for an Eye” demonstrates that there is more to the band than out and out speed. The main refrain is straight out of the classic Morbid Angel playbook and the band keep things reined in tight- the expected blast never comes and instead this track is a crawling wretched beast. “No Amnesia” changes gear but not style- very pleasingly, this record is wedded to the corpse of early to mid 90's old school DM and is all the better for it.

Once again, the vocals alternate a little with lows as the main course and highs as the extra. “Malodorous” is a fetid exhalation of doomy breath, but the band also switches up to much faster pacing here as well. Excellent lead work and unexpected dynamics come up for air here too- great track. “Hunted” continues the tar-thick vibes and brings with it an Entombed-esque rhythmic approach.

“Hells Messiah” and “Hedonistic Gluttony” continue with some Euro/Swe-Death flourishes and it is clear that SOS have built upon the great “Polar Vortex” to hone and expand their sound. There are some great riffs here, some great leads, an excellent production and nothing that goes too over the top- no endless blasting, no pointless tracks that go nowhere. This is a focused and lean release that I heartily recommend to fans of any band mentioned in this review.

“Regime Decay” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Six of Swords - ‘Polar Vortex’ EP (Review)

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 23/2/2015

Label: Sorrow Carrier Records

‘Polar Vortex’ DD//LP track listing

1). Separation at the Seams

2). Polar Vortex

3). Lock the Cell

4). Secular World

Review

Death metal from the frozen North (Canada)! This EP brings the old school death metal with live drum sounds, thick and sludgy sections and a good healthy dose of brutality and misanthropy. ‘Separation at the Seams’ is a nasty violent maelstrom of deathly delight, while the riffing of ‘Polar Vortex’ itself recalls Deicide at their best- excellent slower rolling grooves and vocals alternating from low to high.

‘Lock The Cell’ has doom to go with the death (again a sludge element is present too) but presses to the medal impressively as well, shifting through the gears smoothly. It is heavy stuff with the right amount of brutality (not too much being the right amount in my humble view). ‘Secular World’ finishes this nasty little shock of an EP with a feral bass sound at the fore and a slow build up to a grinding riff guaranteed to induce head banging fervour. Again, the gears are shifted impressively and the EP is finished in grand style. This is top drawer stuff. Cool artwork too! What's not to like?

For fans of Deicide, early Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse and Asphyx. One for the old school!

Words by: Richard Maw

You can pick up a DD copy here from 23/2/2015 and LP here

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