Purging The Venom - Possession EP.
We’ve featured Purging The Venom before, so when we got a copy of their spanking new EP, Possession, through in the post, I was looking forward to checking things out. As a band based in Tiverton in the South West of the UK, they’re out there playing melodic death, thrash and death metal, building a solid following and a hell of a reputation on the live scene. Since we’d already checked out their track Eradicate The System, I figured it was only right we check out the other three tracks on their EP, just to see what was on offer from this politically charged masterpiece.
Kicking into being with title track Possession things get off to a steady start, fading into being with eerie spoken word, building the anticipation for what is to follow and letting you know from the off that this is going to be a heavy assed ride! Soon hitting out with some hammering guitar work and a lashing of heavy bass rhythms the track takes form, pummelling the speakers with rolling double bass, hammering guitar work and those awesome rumbling bass rhythms. Sure this is heavy, but the guys have managed to cram a serious dose of melody into the mix as well, allowing you to hear everything that’s going on as it builds around you. Raw, powerful and in your face from start to finish, this isn’t just a track which relies on sheer distortion to hammer home, instead using intricate guitar work, cleverly paced vocals and those incredible rolling drums to assemble an in your face track that you’re going to love from the word go.
Moving through Eradicate The System (see below) onto Revolving Door (no Crazy Town here…) things continue along their distorted path, once again raising the bar for what we can expect from this South West metal unit. Adding effects to the guitar work to open things before descending to a sludgy and raw guitar line that’s sure to get pits moving, the sound on offer here once again proves that Purging The Venom are a true force to be reckoned with. Still managing to keep a sense of melody flowing through things, this track stands out as my personal favourite off of the EP, and a moment to make sure you check out for sure. From roaring vocals to rolling drums and hammering guitar work, this track has it all – and promises to be a live favourite.
It’s only then left to Dethroned to close things off, finishing on a crescendo of the EP. Almost sounding like they saved all of their hate, distortion and bile for the final moments of things here, we’re presented with a sound that at times is simply metal, at other times Fear Factory-esque industrial metal, and at other times, simply what will hence forth be known as Purging the Venom style. Raw drums, clever guitar work, powerful bass rhythms and more of those face splitting vocal lines, the final moments here are heavy, raw, melodic and powerful all at the same time, presenting us with one final high that’s sure to leave you sat, mouth agape, wondering where the hell it came from. More than a solid finish, if the closing moments here represent their follow up, then I can’t wait to hear it.
Purging The Venom are one of those bands who have been on my radar since they set up purely by chance, and it’s been really cool seeing the updates as they’ve gone. There are a lot of bands coming out of the South West at the moment with a ‘melodic death metal’ approach, a lot of whom are completely misunderstanding the genre they’re trying to play and ending up as something else, but not Purging The Venom. This record, especially as a debut EP, is one which stands them head and shoulder above a hell of a lot of their competition, and suggests to me certainly, that there’s a very bright future ahead of them indeed.
To find out more about Purging The Venom, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Kicking into being with title track Possession things get off to a steady start, fading into being with eerie spoken word, building the anticipation for what is to follow and letting you know from the off that this is going to be a heavy assed ride! Soon hitting out with some hammering guitar work and a lashing of heavy bass rhythms the track takes form, pummelling the speakers with rolling double bass, hammering guitar work and those awesome rumbling bass rhythms. Sure this is heavy, but the guys have managed to cram a serious dose of melody into the mix as well, allowing you to hear everything that’s going on as it builds around you. Raw, powerful and in your face from start to finish, this isn’t just a track which relies on sheer distortion to hammer home, instead using intricate guitar work, cleverly paced vocals and those incredible rolling drums to assemble an in your face track that you’re going to love from the word go.
Moving through Eradicate The System (see below) onto Revolving Door (no Crazy Town here…) things continue along their distorted path, once again raising the bar for what we can expect from this South West metal unit. Adding effects to the guitar work to open things before descending to a sludgy and raw guitar line that’s sure to get pits moving, the sound on offer here once again proves that Purging The Venom are a true force to be reckoned with. Still managing to keep a sense of melody flowing through things, this track stands out as my personal favourite off of the EP, and a moment to make sure you check out for sure. From roaring vocals to rolling drums and hammering guitar work, this track has it all – and promises to be a live favourite.
It’s only then left to Dethroned to close things off, finishing on a crescendo of the EP. Almost sounding like they saved all of their hate, distortion and bile for the final moments of things here, we’re presented with a sound that at times is simply metal, at other times Fear Factory-esque industrial metal, and at other times, simply what will hence forth be known as Purging the Venom style. Raw drums, clever guitar work, powerful bass rhythms and more of those face splitting vocal lines, the final moments here are heavy, raw, melodic and powerful all at the same time, presenting us with one final high that’s sure to leave you sat, mouth agape, wondering where the hell it came from. More than a solid finish, if the closing moments here represent their follow up, then I can’t wait to hear it.
Purging The Venom are one of those bands who have been on my radar since they set up purely by chance, and it’s been really cool seeing the updates as they’ve gone. There are a lot of bands coming out of the South West at the moment with a ‘melodic death metal’ approach, a lot of whom are completely misunderstanding the genre they’re trying to play and ending up as something else, but not Purging The Venom. This record, especially as a debut EP, is one which stands them head and shoulder above a hell of a lot of their competition, and suggests to me certainly, that there’s a very bright future ahead of them indeed.
To find out more about Purging The Venom, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Purging The Venom
I always get a little bit excited when I see new talent coming up and through the ranks, so when we were put onto Purging The Venom, I was looking forward to checking things out. Having formed in 2011 yet already achieved a slot on The Real Devon Rocks, these guys are out there bringing a raw and high energy sound with them, converting fans to their sound and carving their own path. Due to be entering the studio shortly to record their first EP, I checked out their current track to get a taste of what was to come!
Eradicate The System is exactly why I get so excited by bands like this, opening with a pounding melee of drums, hard hitting guitars and a solid bass line – it’s real music done damned well. Somehow managing to incorporate elements of thrash and industrial into a sound which is massive, this is metal designed to melt ear drums and leave audiences wanting to hear more and more! As the vocals kick in there’s an immediate transportation to the late 90’s metal scene, almost managing to create a Pantera-esque sound combined with an almost Fear Factory depth – it’s massive. Rolling drums, hammering moments on the guitar, vocals which are going to send shivers down your spine – it’s all here, and it all sounds pretty damned awesome. It’s also worth noting that despite the all out aggressive approach throughout the music, there’s also a sense of melody behind the music, showing that these guys can’t just play, they understand song writing as well.
I’m a little taken aback by Purging The Venom if I’m honest, their sound is so advanced and well put together that it’s impossible to think how they’re going to keep such form going. With their upcoming recording they need to make sure they maintain their focus, listen to the studio but at the same time, don’t allow things to be changed, and continue to work as a unit – as if they can put together an EP full of tracks of this quality, I’ll be at the front of the queue to buy it – highly recommended.
To find out more about Purging The Venom, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Eradicate The System is exactly why I get so excited by bands like this, opening with a pounding melee of drums, hard hitting guitars and a solid bass line – it’s real music done damned well. Somehow managing to incorporate elements of thrash and industrial into a sound which is massive, this is metal designed to melt ear drums and leave audiences wanting to hear more and more! As the vocals kick in there’s an immediate transportation to the late 90’s metal scene, almost managing to create a Pantera-esque sound combined with an almost Fear Factory depth – it’s massive. Rolling drums, hammering moments on the guitar, vocals which are going to send shivers down your spine – it’s all here, and it all sounds pretty damned awesome. It’s also worth noting that despite the all out aggressive approach throughout the music, there’s also a sense of melody behind the music, showing that these guys can’t just play, they understand song writing as well.
I’m a little taken aback by Purging The Venom if I’m honest, their sound is so advanced and well put together that it’s impossible to think how they’re going to keep such form going. With their upcoming recording they need to make sure they maintain their focus, listen to the studio but at the same time, don’t allow things to be changed, and continue to work as a unit – as if they can put together an EP full of tracks of this quality, I’ll be at the front of the queue to buy it – highly recommended.
To find out more about Purging The Venom, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
