I’m not sure why i have not heard of New Jersey’s Kalopsia up until now. They have been around since 1999, have a handful of releases, including two full length albums and feature current and ex members of the likes of Abacinate, Deteriorot, Dehumanized and recent Dark Descent act, Ruinous.

So here is the band’s third effort, and for those that like the NYDM sound scene, notably the bands above as well as Dying Fetus and especially latter Skinless, this is a must have  for you. It’s a slammy, but not overly ‘broodle’ or gurgly affair chock full of mid tempo romps and huge grooves, add a sly sense of melody and song craft that results in a hugely satisfying New yawk death metal album.

If you don’t trust me on the Skinless sound just go straight to “Christened Upon the Slab”, and tell me that thunderous romp and that big, phat, twangy bass isn’t a pure nod to cleaner, From Sacrifice to Survival/Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead era Skinless. Go on, I’ll wait.

The rest of the album is equally impressive with a perfect grasp of modern death metal without veering to far into anything too guttural, too techy, too melodic or  forcibly old school, just a perfect balance of all, wrapped in a big, commanding, clear production. The pace is generally an authoritative lumber and lope with a few bursts of speed like “Scorched Earth and Blackened Skies” (and even that has a killer breakdown and sneaky melody at its mid point) “Source of My Evil” and ‘Bitter Sacraments”.

Mostly though, the likes of the aforementioned “Christened Upon the Slab”, “Surge of Terror”,  “As the Serpent Devours” “Not Peace, But Pestilence” (again, DAT BASS) and  and are just damned solid slabs of no nonsense, East Coast brute force and beef with ample heft and surprising staying power to tide you over and some until Dying Fetus drops Wrong One to Fuck With later this year. It’s also arguably HPGD’s best non reissue release since Vex’s Memorious (pending To The Death’s impending debut…..).

[Visit the band's website]

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