GODLESS- ‘Swarm’
Godless get minus points for giving their band the same name as a million other metalheads, but that goes down as about the only misstep the Indian outfit have ever made. Their first release was a warning shot of power and potential and, from the eerie introduction of ‘Exordium’ to the final belligerent beats of ‘Empty Graves’, this thing only ups the ante. The drums pound and rumble, buzzsaw riffs give way to monstrous grooves and suitably grimy solos, the vocals ably run the gamut from hardcore roar to guttural bellow, and a big, pushy production job sharpens all the individual elements into a cohesive, aggressive whole. There’s nothing in the way of atmosphere or experimentation but if you stop to dwell on that for even a second, this thing will snap your head clean off. ‘Swarm’ is a relentless, intense, attention-grabbing effort, and high-speed death metal done just right.
