CoC : Vile - Depopulate : Review

Vile - _Depopulate_
(Listenable Records, 2002)
by: David Rocher (8.5 out of 10)

Prior to the release of this second blasting monolith of death, California's Vile had already etched themselves quite a name in the purulent tables of underground death metal with their potent and raucous self-released debut, _Stench of the Deceased_. And with the support of a competent label such as France's Listenable Records, their dreaded name is, beyond all doubt, doomed to spread further throughout the death metal microcosm. Boasting nine tracks of seething, blasting and powerful technical death metal, _Depopulate_ rides the jagged edge of the musical boundaries delineating the worlds of Morbid Angel (for dissonant undertones), Hate Eternal (for air-tight blasting rhythms), and their labelmates Aborted (for warped melodic aggression and tongue-in-cheek utilisation of film samples). Far more personal in their style than on their massively Cannibal Corpse-influenced debut, displaying technical skills putting many bands with whom they share the very populated death metal landscapes to shame, Vile also boast a very professional and perfectionist approach to everything their band relates to, including the album's production; guitarist Colin Davis and colossal vocalist Juan Urteaga have taken the time to grace _Depopulate_ with a fitting production, in the guise of a thick wall of layered guitars and bass, clear and powerful drums, in adjunction to the inevitable pus-sodden layer of phlegm-churning vocals. Agreed, _Depopulate_ is about as unoriginal as death metal will ever get; however, the sheer surge of adrenaline and blasting yet, at times, strangely melodic aggression is delivers is enough to turn it into a thoroughly enjoyable experience which all death metal addicts would be well recommended to cast an ear onto. At a time when former leaders of the American death metal scene such as Cannibal Corpse or Morbid Angel have let their musical creativity ebb away into confines of unsatisfactory predictability, Vile are poised to herald and front the oncoming of a whole new wave of determined, competent and talented flamebearers.

(article published 1/9/2002)

ALBUMS
12/22/2005	T DePalma	5.5	Vile - The New Age of Chaos