Tech Death Thursday: Mausoleum and Parasite of Human Side
HOLY TOLEDO! We’re getting tech to death with Mausoleum and Parasite of Human Side.
News:
- There’s a new Blade of Horus single out for all you ancient-Egyptian-themed deathcore aficionados out there. Check out “Slain by the Blade of Horus” right here.
- The new Decrepit Birth album has been finished and handed off to Nuclear Blast! This has already been a banner year for spacey tech death, and it looks like it’s going to get better yet.
- Speaking of spacey tech death and Decrepit Birth, Burial In The Sky has a new single out, entitled “Anchors” featuring the former’s Samus Paulicelli on drums. I’m a huge fan of the quiet opening, and the riffs are smooth and sexy. Look for this one on November 4th.
- Logic of Denial have released the artwork and track listing for their upcoming third album, Aftermath. Look for that early next year via Comatose Music for some tasty brutal death jams.
We’ve been spoiled with some great new tech death/thrash/whatever this year from the likes of Vektor, Watchtower, and Revocation (shut up, I liked it). I’d be remiss to not mention Mausoleum’s self-titled EP from back in March alongside those others (not to be confused with any of the other Mausoleums). These guys have a fairly distinct style; the tech death and the thrash parts feel like their respective styles rather than a mixture of the two, with some songs veering more in one direction than the other. For example, the title track largely stays in thrash territory, with a main riff that hammers away at the E string and an oh-so-sweet whammy bar dive out of the intro. On the flip side, “Unholy Crusade” declares tech death to be its stomping ground, shredding constantly and using weird mid-tempo rhythms and augmented chords to give itself an alien vibe.
Regardless of what style they happen to be playing at any given moment, it always sounds fantastic and flows naturally. Mausoleum may be a relatively new face on the scene, but they sound like seasoned veterans. Despite the tendency for thrash and tech to go off the deep end in their respective directions, the band errs on the side of songwriting over showboating. It’s a tasteful but fully headbangable experience, and it’s a no-brainer at name-your-price. Don’t skip this one!
Speaking of overlooked gems, our next offering comes from Parasite of Human Side. Way back in January, I came across “Obsolescence Serenade” and described it as a suitable alternative to Vale of Pnath (who were half a year away from releasing II at the time). I then made the terrible mistake of forgetting the band altogether, and it was only by the grace of a reader named Bucwah that they were again brought to my attention. I’m glad it was, and you should be too; this album rips.
Concerning my original statement, I still stand by it. Constellations is an absolute monster of neoclassical tech death in the same vein as Pnath’s latest output, matching and possibly even exceeding the latter in proficiency and intensity. The solos are absolutely astounding, and the riffs often eschew the typical thirds and fifths harmonies in favor of counterpoint melodies. Basement-tier production values lend an earnest air to the effort on top of making it feel like a tightrope walk. If anyone slips up in this intricate act, you know it’s all over, but the band performs everything with grace and power. The faint of heart need not apply.
I haven’t seen either of these bands get much attention around the tech death world, but trust me when I say they deserve it. I wholeheartedly recommend both of these albums, and at NYP and $4 US respectively, they’re easy on the wallet. Mausoleum and Parasite of Human Side are both on Facebook as well, so go tell them exactly how much ass they kick. That’s all for this week, and until next time,
Do you have a band you would like to see featured? A new release we should keep an eye on? Or maybe you want to do some writing yourself? Then email us at techdeathtovh@gmail.com and make your voice heard!
