Asphyx - Death The Brutal Way (21 tracks) +Album Reviews

Death....The Only Way!

BK | Maine | 08/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After 17 years, vocalist Martin van Drunen returns to ASPHYX to create the crushing new album "Death...The Brutal Way." The album picks up where "Last One on Earth" left off. The songs are moody and most importantly catchy. Martin's vocals have stayed just as sick and brutal. This album just may be the contender for best death metal album of 2009! Since I got the cd, I have not stopped listening to it. The CD comes with a bonus DVD which is a pro-shot video of their 2007 reunion show. The DVD is amazing quality and a great bonus with a killer set list of the first 2 albums. If you liked "Last One on Earth" & "The Rack" you will love this. It is a combination of those albums along with some HAIL OF BULLETS which is Martin's other killer band. Definitely recommend you pick this one up. If you like them, try the new ACHERON cd as well titled "The Final Conflict: Last Days of God".

"

Awesome new take on old school death metal

death metal and black metal | Austin, TX | 02/16/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Underground metal flourished from 1987-1994 and then died a messy death during the late 1990s, coming back only a couple years ago in any strength. One of the leaders of this revival are longstanding doom/death legends Asphyx. If your ears work like mine do, "Death... The Brutal Way" is a masterpiece.

However, we need to carefully define masterpiece. There are no jazzy breakdowns. No prog rock space-out riffs, although song structures are very prog rock. And definitely not much compassion, tolerance, blind happiness, cheerful oblivion, or politeness. These songs are raw, basic, to the point and face life head-on without the automatic self-censoring of upsetting ideas that we all engage in to make friendly with others.

"Death... The Brutal Way" doesn't play well with others. It does its own thing, a feral animal. Each of these riffs is a symbol like a dance move, a type of motion that like the hands and feet of the dancer sketches out an image from life and brings it to mind. These evocative riff-symbols give this album its power. It sounds like every struggle we've ever had in which we've triumphed.

It's like older Asphyx in that it's simple riffs, repeated in slightly "random" song structures that like to take a handful of riffs and show them in different contexts for different emotional effects, like the repetition of lines in a sestina (poem). It's less doomy than past albums, which were as much doom metal as death metal, because it likes to keep high energy and relentless forward drive. It's also a slight bit simplified but has lost none of its intensity.

This album is amazing for many reasons. First, it's a great album with nothing else considered. Next, it's rare for a band to come back from retirement and make such a great album.

Finally, it's an old school death metal album that continues right where the band left off in the 1990s, and improves upon it. It's just good music: it reminds us of life, has crushing riffs, and creates an intense mood of wanting to struggle for supremacy against the stupid, intractable and pointless. In this age of dismally dishwater metal, "Death... The Brutal Way" is an inspiration and a treat.

"

Killer Comeback-PUNISHING!!!

Frank Rini | Maryland | 07/02/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alot of people, us old death metal heads, once hearing that Asphyx reformed were likening it to the second coming of christ. Now I would not go that far, but pretty damn close. Death the Brutal Way marks the return of Martin Van Drunen on vocals-I swear anything he touches is golden. Hail of Bullets, Pestilence-all phenomenal and of course Asphyx. He has probably one of the most unique and best vocals in death metal, always has. When he said that the comeback album was gonna be the next step from Last One on Earth and their heaviest he hit the nail on the head. The album is so oppressingly heavy that it may overwhelm some. Seriously the first 2 Asphyx cds were some of the heaviest music ever created and DTBW is far heavier, if you can imagine that. Some of the doomy/slow parts are so freaking heavy and morbid, the long defunct amazing band, Winter, comes to mind in certain parts, even disembowelment. Asphyx II (they Died as they marched) is a perfect example of this, as well as a whole host of other songs. Standouts-all of them. Opening track Scorbutics opens things up blisteringly, The Herald is brutal with massive slow downs that are just punishingly heavy. The title track is tongue and cheek lyrics regarding the bands reformation and brutalizing the masses-quite funny. It also features Martin singing faster than he ever has, reminds me of the pestilence days, big time!!! Cape Horn, I mean I can just name them all. My only gripe is the last song is an instumental, that is pretty much filler, but overall that does not distract from this monumental release. This was over $10 cheaper a month ago when I preordered this import, so if you get the import now good luck at the high price.

Anyway this import comes w/a dvd live performance from their 07 reunion show and features a good mix off the first 2 asphyx cds. Sound is amazing as is picture. This is worth extra $. Super heavy and very energetic crowd/performance. Over 60min of music-amazing.

I will say this may be the best comeback of any death metal band that I have heard recently. I hope it lasts and is not just for 1 album-Asphyx are just too good a band to go away. The production/mixing is top notch, thanks to Dan Swano. The bass is thunderous and can be heard clearly, guitars are way heavy and the drums are great, with the double bass and snare coming across forcefully. Asphyx do not play technical or melodic death metal. This is strictly old school death/doom done to such punishing conviction. This will be tough to top for '09 and it's been a fantastic yr thus far and more to come, ie: despised icon, suffocation, dying fetus to name a few. So kick back and crank this sucker way up, it will steamroll cities far and wide!!!!"

DO NOT HESITATE!!!

Michael E. Mitchell | Minocqua, WI USA | 09/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you enjoyed the Martin Van Drunen-era Asphyx albums ("The Rack" and "Last One On Earth") then you absolutely must not hesitate to get this special edition of "Death-The Brutal Way" that includes the bonus dvd!!! Although all of Asphyx's albums are good, the aforementioned 2 are solid-steel classics of the Death MeTal genre (and, as the band is quick to point out, there are some elements of doom involved, but mostly in the mood of certain material, as well as there being some slow, crushing parts amidst the blitzkrieg assaults of pummeling jackhammer riffs), and this new one slaughters the unwary in the exact same (jugular) vein! I can't even describe to you how satisfying it is to have a worthy follow-up to "Last One On Earth" after soooooo many years! The album blasts forth immediately with a wall of thick bludgeoning sound, like a torrential downpour of molten lead burning, entombing, and then crushing the listener all at once. It is incredible how they've managed to retain the EXACT Asphyx sound with new guitarist Paul Baayens (who has worked with Martin Van Drunen in the the extremely great Hail of Bullets, as well) and bassist Wannes Gubbels. Only original drummer Bob Bagchus remains (remember, Van Drunen wasn't even an "original" member). But have no fear, there is no reprehensible "updating" of the sound, it is a return to a much-needed-in-the-scene classic Death MeTal sound. And in case you've not heard Asphyx, please don't mistake Asphyx for the generic, burping sludge of a lot of Death MeTal...Asphyx don't aim to be ill-guidedly technical whilst totally ignorant of song writing technique like many genre bands. Asphyx manage to write VERY memorable songs, riffs, and arrangements, as well as having perhaps the most gruesome vocalist in the field, who is certainly NOT a burping gurgler! My only disappointment with this album is the juvenile use of the word "bitch" in a song (not referring to women, but using ghetto vernacular for any unsavory person...unwelcome jargon that is NOT part of the classic formula!)...everything else is dead-on perfect, the production, the playing, the themes, even the length(not too short, not too long). The subject matter is also excellent, violent, and dark...check out the recommendations about exactly what to do with weasel government/businessmen who are ruining everyone's lives! or the "love song" dedicated to those giant guns used in WWII! or the 2 sagas of the sea that hearken back to "M.S.Bismarck" from "Last One..." or the eerie, crushing deep space holocaust of "Black Hole Storm". NOW, about this dvd: it is just over an hour, pro-shot and features more than half of each classic-Van Drunen album. Apparently, this is where the "reunion" stemmed from, and it is really excellent, so be sure to get this version before it is no longer available. One of the most essential releases to come along in many years (and this is from a Black MeTal fan's perspective! I imagine it must really be something for Death MeTal People...)

"

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