After seven years, Spearhead from UK strike back with their 4th album and it’s fair to say that, serving death metal since 2005, the band sounds like they have by now all the talent and experience required to establish themselves as a real underground force. And why not further than that?

Everything about Pacifism is Cowardice lives and breathes death metal. To be more precise, a very violent and battle-ready kind of death metal that is dedicated to a war-loving and nihilistic aura, sonically and lyrically. Their sound is sharp and aggressive built mainly in mid-range frequencies and not in blurry lows. Most of the time, the music is very intense and ultra-fast (thanks to the highly-skilled, neurotic drumming) but make no mistake, it’s the guitars that rule Spearhead’s sonic universe. Direct, wild, ferocious riffs and solos, straight out from the ever-present tradition of Morbid Angel and the likes. Personally, I enjoy very much the few mid-tempo riffs and I would like to hear a bit more of them as they sound really delicious.

There are no big surprises in the album's flow as the band seems like not having second thoughts regarding their song patterns. Despite this, I have to point out that the industrial elements of “Duellorum” and “Hyperanthropos” are wisely placed and add an extra element to the already “threatening” character of their music. While their personality is already strong enough, I really think that if such industrial/noise elements were to be used within “normal” tracks, their style would become a bit more personal and juicy. Having said all the above, I regard “Wolves of the Krypteia, We” as the album’s highlight with a totally classic intro riff and a delightful progression.

Pacifism is Cowardice, starting even from the title, seems to distill individualistic ideas and a philosophy of power and supremacy. Now, I know that in art everyone is free, artistic messages can be just role playing and that extreme forms of art may carry extreme thesis but I have to remark that this proud individualism, the Nietzschean references and the gunned image of the band may be innocent or just part of the role but it may also be something more. Living in dangerous social times, one must be cautious of these things, artists and fans equally. Though this fact has a negative weight on me personally, I am not considering it further in this review, keeping it focused in music.

Spearhead deliver their thunderous music with pure extremity and passion and I think that any death metal fan will appreciate their style, their sound and their performance. Truly and undoubtedly mastering their craft, they keep forging that old path of classic 90s death as genuine purists. Expanding their sound in order to attract some of the outsiders may not be the case for them and while it is not necessary, I believe that they would be seriously good at it!

Another very good album in a very competitive year for death metal, definitely not for the faint hearted.

After having gained some strong underground reputation, the time has finally come for the Irish death-metallers Malthusian to release their debut full length album. And while this is a band that totally respects extreme metal values and true spirit, there are no stereotypes to be found here. To be precise, in Across Deaths one may find an intense sense of innovation, as only profound underground art can offer.

Don’t expect your typical death metal plate on this one. Although it appears as such, Across Deaths is not even pure death metal, having strong boundaries-crossing virtues. Most of the music is based on violent death metal riffing and extraordinary, fast and technical drumming but it is clear that Malthusian are on a constant route from death to black and vice versa, riff after riff, part after part. This is specifically achieved with the richness of different lead and backing vocal textures – growls, howls, screams or whispers – but also with the lack of harmonic references. This last fact is one of the albums strangest and most attractive elements: The gloomy, muffled sound may first seem like a lo-fi, stylistic decision. If you listen closely though, you may realise that there is an unexpected clarity on the sound of the instruments, something that convinces me that the production deliberately assists Malthusian’s music in sounding abstract and chaotic, obviously with no intention of helping the listener’s mind realise any constant. At the end, the whole experience feels like walking on a tightrope while ruthless devastating winds fight to throw you down in the abyss. The worst part though and what really makes this album dark, is that this abyss is hidden from your eyes. You can’t see or understand it, it just lies beneath your feet and your mind knows no constant. From this aspect, there is almost an experimental vibe in Across Deaths, like being a distant relative of Portal’s Ion.

The first three tracks of the album serve this ever-changing genres acrobatics but it is only during ''Primal Attunement – The Gloom Epoch’’ when you can fully understand Malthusian’s craftsmanship. For 13 minutes of ultra epic heaviness, we witness the construction of a doom/sludge anthem and it is clear now that it’s not a matter of what the band can or can’t do but a matter of what they decide to do. I am certain that in the future Malthusian will walk further down that doomy road, evolving that contradiction of super fast and super slow moods – anything that needs to be done in order their abyss to grow even darker and more chaotic.

As a conclusion, Across Deaths is a fascinating debut that doesn’t intend to be easily or fully understood. It forms an enigma that is equally savage and intriguing, like chaos and death itself. Try to walk on this tightrope, try to fight back those winds that violently try to stop you and no matter what you do, don’t look down. For this abyss may be deeper than you think.