Replacire — Do Not Deviate
Stunning the metal world with their debut, Replacire comes back full force with Do Not Deviate. Not wasting any time, Deviate opens with the pummeling and fairly groove worthy "Horsestance." Setting the scene for the rest of the album, the opening track delivers pounding drums, tight riffs, and a togetherness that allows the band to start and stop on a dime. In an interesting turn, the vocals switch from traditional, harsh growls to sung pieces that punctuate nicely (albeit sounding like traditional late 90's rock fare). Tremolo picking and quick double bass hits add some groove intensity and add an extra dimension to an already varied mix. Following this format, tracks such as "Built Upon the Grave of He Who Bends," "Do Not Deviate," and "Spider Song" continue to stretch the boundaries of traditional, technical death metal. That's not to say that there isn't straightforward, pummeling death to be had on Do Not Deviate, though. Blasters like "Act Re-enact," "Any Promise," and "Cold Repeater" remind the listener that despite the fun flourishes, this album is still a technical death metal album ready to pummel him or her into submission. Although the differences between the two styles of songs are subtle, it could be quite jarring for one not expecting it. Thankfully, Replacire has arranged their songs in such a manner that it never relies too heavily on one style at a time, and the album blends together well.
Replacire's sophmore effort, Do Not Deviate, shows a tight unit functioning well with all cylinders firing. Tour tested in front of tough, death metal audiences, this Boston band has shown that they're a new force on the scene and will give it their all to get the audience to stomp and thrash. With a stellar second album under their belts, Replacire have raised their bar, and are set to unleash a third to be reckoned with.