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Review: Internal Organs External - Apocalyptic Domination
Internal Organs External
www.facebook.com/internalorgansexternal
Apocalyptic Domination

Label: Vicious Instinct Records
Year released: 2021
Duration: 17:00
Tracks: 5
Genre: Death Metal

Rating:
2.5/5


Review online: April 21, 2021
Reviewed by: Micah.Ram
Readers' Rating
How do you rate this release?

Rated 2.5/5 (50%) (4 Votes)
Review

Brutal Death Metal has always been an area in which I have had a level of interest, but very few of the bands that pop up in the scene really make a deep and lasting impression with me. Slamming Brutal Death is even more difficult for me to get attached to. Here we are looking at an EP called Apocalyptic Domination by a slamming Brutal Death Metal one-man band from Arizona called Internal Organs External. While I am no fan of Slam, I will be objective and provide our readers with a fair detailing of what is here.

This EP is a Slam riff extravaganza, so you will either love it or hate it depending on your feelings about Slam. Now I will admit something I did not expect, which is that this is not all that bad to my ears despite my listening preferences. Some of these riffs aren't bad at all. The best riff on the album is on the first track, "Grotesque Monstrosity," halfway through the track when the pace jumps up after a bit of slamming action. The riffing here shows that Vince Otero is a guitarist with a bit of skill, although it is unfortunately a very short-lived riff. This song does have a few other grooves that are fun, driven by competent, driving riffs.

The biggest problem on this EP is that many of the slamming riffs are so similar to each other that the songs do not have much staying power nor differentiating features. The most differentiation between the songs at times seems to be the use of samples and synthesized effects to enhance the experience. This quality is the greatest feature of Apocalyptic Domination. The use of the shotgun sample in the first track works really well in amplifying the intensity and prepares the listener for the slamming action that ensues.

The programmed drums are done fairly well, although I find that the slower drumming bits lack energy and sound lazily played as a result of how they were put together at times. I would imagine with a real drummer this quality would be fixed up, but this is what we have on disc. The odd use of cymbals in one of the breakdown preparations in "Feeding Off the Weak" also struck me as odd with their seemingly arrhythmic use for a moment. This song actually reaches the EP's lowest depths in terms of sound and slowness, which for me is a big turnoff. The band sounds at its best when playing at a faster tempo and crushing with a mid-tempo bounce. The riffing in those moments is also better than the typical Slam riffs that occur all over the place.

All in all, this was not the Slam experience I thought it would be. This is rather well made, and true fans of Slam will likely appreciate this much more than I did. There are some quality riffs here among the slamming, which along with the sampling and effects helped allow this EP to pop. There are not any bizarre cricket-like vocals on here, but rather a wide variety of gutturals and vocal fry attacks which are all quite well done. If you like Slam, I am sure you won't be disappointed with this. This is, after all, way better than Waking the Cadaver.

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