Breeding Filth dropped their monster debut late last year, and it’s well past time we dug into it. If you’ve been craving brutal death, come get your fix.

Slow news, but good news:

• Cytotoxin have announced their next album, Gammageddon, will be out on July 21st via Unique Leader. You can check out the first single and preorder right here.
• Beyond Grace, featuring Toilet friend Andy Synn on vocals, have their debut on the way for July 2nd. Go jam “Oracle” and join me in the wait; Seekers is going to be beastly.

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Brutal death fans, I have been neglecting you lately; for that, I am truly sorry. While today’s offering isn’t quite pure, unadulterated meathead-slam, hopefully it’ll help sate your hunger regardless. Breeding Filth, featuring members of Kossuth and Dawn of Dementia, very much fit in the modern tech death landscape, but with a fair amount of brutal death metal traits mixed in throughout. It should come as no surprise that Perverse Devolution has a few elements in common with the two aforementioned bands- having spent my fair share of time with Mictlan and Immolation of Avernis, it was pretty easy to see where each song was going- but it’s not indistinct. Besides, the musicians involved are talented enough that I’ll take whatever I can get from them.

“Exhibit of Perverted Lunacy” opens up the album with big, meaty power chords over pummeling hammer blasts and double bass, and the halting follow-up riff immediately sets a heavier, nastier vibe than the members’ other projects. Tonally speaking, Virulent Depravity is actually the closest touchstone I can think of; they both have a darker twist on the prolific third-harmonies/string-skipping tech paradigm that adds a sense of urgency alongside the speed inherent with the music. The difference between the two is that where Virulent Depravity’s music is defined by the unorthodox progressions and re-imagining of what makes a hook, Breeding Filth has slams. I realize this sounds like a dig at the band, but it really does establish an identity distinct from other bands of their ilk. There’s nothing quite like running face-first into a slamming riff right after a melodic neoclassical lead; I reeled the first time one hit, and those moments quickly became my favorite parts of the album. Check out “Gagging on the Fumes” to see what I mean.

There are moments of untainted brutality as well. “Lurid Master” dispenses entirely with melody and structure with its undulating tempos and time signatures, and “Perverse Devolution” keeps it going by letting a melodic line peek out from its filthy confinement only briefly. Even in at its cleanest moments, the album is presented differently from its peers; simple things like the use of guttural vocals and the gritty bass tone change the feel entirely when compared to similar riffs from similar bands.

Speaking of production, Perverse Devolution has some of that “squashed” feel I mentioned in my Dawn of Dementia writeup, but I think it works better in the context of this album. A lot of brutal death tends to sound thin, so this isn’t too far off from the norm. The previously mentioned bass tone is given some extra punch by a dynamic performance that plays expertly to the feel of the music, bringing some life to the otherwise static production. There’s otherwise not too much to set them apart- the guitar and drum sound is fairly standard, and the vocals are appropriately sculpted and EQ’ed- but it doesn’t hold the music back. Ultimately, that’s what’s most important; the music is fantastic, offering a unique take on the genre for those looking for something different and bringing some monstrous riffs for anyone just looking to bang their heads.

Perverse Devolution is out now on Sevared Records. Follow Breeding Filth on Facebook for all the filthy updates you need. That’s all for now; until next time,

Stay Tech

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