Denounced
Having first heard about Denounced after their appearance on the Hammer Smashed Radio compilation album which we featured (HERE), the guys in the band were good enough to drop us a line with their stuff so we could check out what else they had on offer. Originating from Ottowa, Ontario, this 4 piece Death Metal outfit simply describe themselves as ‘hate’, a description which can mean so many things yet I reckon here, only means we’re in for one hell of a heavy journey! Their EP, produced by Mike Poisson at House Of Fish Studios, is out there now, representing the sound that they’re going for moving forwards.
This is a band who have already endured their fair share of hard knocks – so what’s the music like?!
Opening with Soul Sucker (featuring Tabitha Grove of In Sepia), things immediately take a turn to the dark side, opening with some rolling drums before launching into a sludgy melee of distorted guitar, rumbling bass lines and blasting drums, all before everything is blown away by the introduction of the guttural vocals. This band is exactly the sort of band which should be representing death metal, moving the genre away from what people say is simply noise and instead, throwing in some guitar lines which match the most intricate your going to find, drumming which is bound to get you moving and vocals which are going to rip your face off before making you thank them for the pleasure. The track is one hell of an introduction to the band, immediately showing that this is going to be a force to be reckoned with just as soon as everyone cottons on to it – awesome stuff from the off.
Predators follows on, almost sounding shallower than the previous track yet still holding all of the malice and heavy hitting approaches of the previous track. Once again, the vocals are the real show stealer here, turning the track into a melee of sheer power, grabbing your attention and not letting you go until the moment that the track comes to a close. There’s everything you could want from a band right here, from intricate guitar lines to hammering drums and ominous bass lines – it’s like the guys have read the rule book on what to do and carefully crafted their track around that idea – but it works! As Destined For Failure (Featuring Tyler Windich of I Now Walk Into The Wild and Louis Cyr of The Gillingham Fire Demonstration) comes in to being, the rumbling heavy pace continues and drags you further into their world of destruction. There’s something massive about this track, from the epic musical arrangements through to the differing vocal approaches which lift the track further – ranging from Death growls through to hardcore spitting at times. This is my personal favourite track from the EP as it’s almost a showcase of what the band can do, showing off their different abilities and crafting a track which is going to blow your mind!
Finishing with Blackened Skies, there’s no doubt left that, with a little refinement and further dedication, these guys are going to be a force to be reckoned with on the Death Metal scene. Once again forming a track which sticks more to the conventions of the genre, this is another example of a band doing something well and making it their own. Slower yet all the more powerful for the decrease in pace, this track closes the album but in a way, opens a new chapter –the chapter of Denounced.
People have often asked me whether I actually like death metal or whether I just say that, and the honest answer is I like it. I refuse to accept those who say it’s just noise as there’s far more to it, there’s so many different elements being brought together (often at speed) that you can’t just say it’s noise. What you’ve got with Denounced is a prime example of this, a band who have taken a genre which can inspire fear into those about to hear it, and made 4 tracks which are quite simply pure genius. There’s refinements needed in some of the levelling for sure but those are minor points which will be ironed out in time- for now just listen to the raw sound of a band producing damned good music and doing it damned well!
To find out more about Denounced, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
This is a band who have already endured their fair share of hard knocks – so what’s the music like?!
Opening with Soul Sucker (featuring Tabitha Grove of In Sepia), things immediately take a turn to the dark side, opening with some rolling drums before launching into a sludgy melee of distorted guitar, rumbling bass lines and blasting drums, all before everything is blown away by the introduction of the guttural vocals. This band is exactly the sort of band which should be representing death metal, moving the genre away from what people say is simply noise and instead, throwing in some guitar lines which match the most intricate your going to find, drumming which is bound to get you moving and vocals which are going to rip your face off before making you thank them for the pleasure. The track is one hell of an introduction to the band, immediately showing that this is going to be a force to be reckoned with just as soon as everyone cottons on to it – awesome stuff from the off.
Predators follows on, almost sounding shallower than the previous track yet still holding all of the malice and heavy hitting approaches of the previous track. Once again, the vocals are the real show stealer here, turning the track into a melee of sheer power, grabbing your attention and not letting you go until the moment that the track comes to a close. There’s everything you could want from a band right here, from intricate guitar lines to hammering drums and ominous bass lines – it’s like the guys have read the rule book on what to do and carefully crafted their track around that idea – but it works! As Destined For Failure (Featuring Tyler Windich of I Now Walk Into The Wild and Louis Cyr of The Gillingham Fire Demonstration) comes in to being, the rumbling heavy pace continues and drags you further into their world of destruction. There’s something massive about this track, from the epic musical arrangements through to the differing vocal approaches which lift the track further – ranging from Death growls through to hardcore spitting at times. This is my personal favourite track from the EP as it’s almost a showcase of what the band can do, showing off their different abilities and crafting a track which is going to blow your mind!
Finishing with Blackened Skies, there’s no doubt left that, with a little refinement and further dedication, these guys are going to be a force to be reckoned with on the Death Metal scene. Once again forming a track which sticks more to the conventions of the genre, this is another example of a band doing something well and making it their own. Slower yet all the more powerful for the decrease in pace, this track closes the album but in a way, opens a new chapter –the chapter of Denounced.
People have often asked me whether I actually like death metal or whether I just say that, and the honest answer is I like it. I refuse to accept those who say it’s just noise as there’s far more to it, there’s so many different elements being brought together (often at speed) that you can’t just say it’s noise. What you’ve got with Denounced is a prime example of this, a band who have taken a genre which can inspire fear into those about to hear it, and made 4 tracks which are quite simply pure genius. There’s refinements needed in some of the levelling for sure but those are minor points which will be ironed out in time- for now just listen to the raw sound of a band producing damned good music and doing it damned well!
To find out more about Denounced, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls