Dead Syndicate
The Carrion Creed

September 2007
Released: 2007, Black Morning Star Productions
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Kyle Schroer

THE CARRION CREED is the debut album from these North Virginians. They have done some extensive touring, and even had the honor of opening for Emperor at their NY reunion show.



Opening track "Plague of All Plagues" starts slowly with some sound effects of torture and horror, but eventually kicks in with blasts and solid, slightly technical riffing. After going full-speed for a few minutes, a huge riff got my head banging about three minutes in. The band inserts a neat bass solo between the second and fourth tracks. This works well to break up the album, as monotony is often a problem in death metal. When "Whore of Babylon" starts with its squealing riff, then a slower chorus section, your horns will be in the air. The songs features a lot of soloing, giving the album a bit of melody. The eponymous eighth track slows the album down a bit, showcasing more of Tommy’s bass abilities. The song gets back to the usual blasting and heaviness of record, and has an awesome chorus riff. The production on this album has high and low points. Michael Arcane's bass drums and Tommy Doss' bass guitar have depth and give the album a very heavy sound. However, the guitars of John Styers and Brian Magee are a little dissonant and buried, making it difficult to follow their complexities. Donny Doss' vocals come through well; his raspy voice is somewhat decipherable, but may not be deep enough for those craving more brutality.



Comparisons to Cannibal Corpse and Vile are apt, though Dead Syndicate are still a little bit green. More variety in the drumming would be great (I don’t need 32nd notes all the time to enjoy a metal album), but overall this is a solid debut from a talented group. I'd love to see them get an opening position on a high-profile tour; it could do them wonders.