In a time of overblown production, stripped down albums give an initial impression of being simple or inferior. As far as Towards Inevitable Ruin is concerned, all the listener has to do is tune in and pay attention to the musicianship on display. Sub-three minute songs are a great vehicle to showcase Keisuke Hamada's drum work. Coming out of the speakers like a firefight, with fills as tight as a drum (haha pretend that works better and is funny), the percussion moves the tracks along quickly and keeps the listener on his/her toes the entire time. Terrific and exciting drum work as it is, this alone cannot carry an album. Defiled adds two guitars to the mix to thicken the intensity and add another level of technical complexity. Like the drums, the shorter songs are a great vessel for tight, interesting riffs. Chugging along with and keeping pace with the rapid drumming, the guitars challenge the listener to keep up with the album's dizzying pace. Keeping up is a big part of being in a rhythm section, too, and Hiroaki Sato's bass cruises along with the frenzied fills quite nicely. While not as big in the mix as most modern death, the bass sticks to a traditional rock role, sticks near the percussion, and helps thicken the metal stew that is Towards Inevitable Ruin.

Twelve furious tracks of rapid, tight death metal, Towards Inevitable Ruin is a nice change of pace from super long, super thick, over produced death. Admittedly, I wasn't sure what to make of this album the first three or four passes through, but my perseverance paid off, and I was able to pull the mask off of Defiled's latest. Grooving, head banging, and shredding, this is a tight little monster that'll impress with its speed, technicality, and understated brutality.