Destructive Intent is the debut release from Berlin’s Dehuman Reign, and don’t let the cover art fool, this isn’t some crusty lo-fi noise but rather a pretty solid take on Floridian death metal, notably the likes of Malevolent Creation and Monstrosity sprinkled with a dose of thrash, and it’s pretty good stuff.

Consisting of an intro, two rather needless interludes and 5 actual songs, there is a little filler on this 21-minute EP, but the 5 actual songs are pretty stout and intense displays of no-nonsense blistering death metal. It’s nothing new or original, but that’s the beauty of it. The guitars have a perfect modern punch without being over produced, the vocals are deep and powerful, but not completely brootal, and the songwriting on the 5 tracks finds that perfect balance between blast beats, controlled, memorable aggression, twisty grooves and a few frenzied solos.

None of it is truly great, but it’s a quick, fun and intense listen that’s interrupted somewhat by the demon voiced interludes “Invocation I Black Seed” and “Invocation II Scorched Earth”. Still, skip those and dive right into the meat of the EP with the likes of “Extinction Machine”, “Irreversible Soul Consumption”, “Starring Beyond the Edge of Time”, “Veil of Ignorance” and blistering and fairly lengthy (compared to the other four songs) closer “Masks of Sorrow”, which ended up being my personal favorite on the EP. All deliver relatively similarly paced levels of speed and brutality, but with that unmistakeable sense of Floridian slightly technical, polished riffery.

Though not a ground breaking release that heralds a new king of death metal, Destructive Intent fulfills its namesake with no bullshit death metal as it should be and another solid release from FDA Rekotz.

[Visit the band's website]

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