Fatalist
The Depths Of Inhumanity

May 2010
Released: 2009, Ibex Moon Records
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Waspman

How many fans fondly remember the classic Swedish death metal pumped out by the likes of Dismember, Edge of Sanity, and Entombed back in the early ‘90s? I know I do, and I now know that southern California’s Fatalist do too! After recording one previous demo (LOSS), these young lads have unleashed their first full-length upon the masses, and if they have anything to say about it, the lords of the old-school will rise again.

In truth, THE DEPTHS OF INHUMANITY is a remastering of the LOSS demo, with four new songs added to the beginning to flesh out the track list. Have no fear though, this is not a demo-quality recording – yes, the sound is as filthy and grit-encrusted as you’d expect, given the genre, but the mix is clear and powerful. As to the sound, if you cranked the album, closed your eyes and didn’t look at the album cover, you’d swear that you were listening to a lost one-album wonder from 1991. It’s that authentic.

Musically, this is total Swedish death all the way. From the riffs, battering drums, and decipherable growls, I’m very impressed at the band’s level of commitment to their craft. The riffs are grimy as hell, and the leads are stanky yet melodic, showing real talent. In short, Fatalist has really captured the essence of death metal here and it shows, from the album cover through to the last song. They are obviously ploughing well used fields at this point, and they admittedly aren’t adding much new, but they are filling a need in 2010 as there are next to no bands playing this style so faithfully anymore. Besides, THE DEPTHS OF INHUMANITY is a damn good album on its own merits. So, if you need a good old-school ass-kicking, look no further than Fatalist.