Kev Rowland The artwork may look pleasant at first glance, and the opening title cut may lead the unwary into a false sense of security, but we all know what FFAA are all about, and that is deathcore and here they have returned with their sixth album to pummel our senses yet again. What makes these guys stand out from the pack is not so much the powering rhythm section, or the three guitarists which know when to crunch or when to interweave, and not even Joe Badoloto who is such a towering presence on vocals but more with the way they use space within their music. The problem with many heavy bands is they only know how to keep turning it up to 11, not realizing that soon the senses are dulled, and what is the point of playing at 11 if the person at home only plays it on 2? There is a need for contrast which makes the heavy even heavier, the fast even quicker, the threat even more powerful, and on this album, they display an innate understanding of all of that.

It is no surprise to see this is already their most successful album to date, with strong chart success, as this feels just so good on so many levels. The music never stops moving, twisting into new directions, and due to the way they use space and mini breaks not only is one never sure where it is going to go next but the ears just get a chance to relax before being beaten up yet again. They throw in passages which are far more commercial, with normal singing, such as on “Two Towers” but there is always the sense of trepidation as one knows this is going to change dynamically, but as one does not know when the anticipation is always there. Deathcore rarely gets much better than this.

Kev Rowland It has been quite a while since I last heard American deathcore act Fit For An Autopsy, and it looks as if it is only guitarists Will Putney and Pat Sheridan who have stayed the course since 2011’s debut ‘The Process of Human Extermination’. However, they are now back with their fifth release, and the second with the same line-up. When asked about the title song, Putney said, "We have to be these puffed up, aggressive people to survive in this world, it's dog eat dog shit out there. Lyrically, the song touches on that violent way of thinking, but it also shows the inherent sadness that comes along with a life of this nature. It's the two main themes that the subject matter on our album was born from, making it a fitting title track. Musically, I think it's a cool display of everything we do as a band — some classic metal foundations with some new tricks for us, and a fight riff for good measure. Hope you enjoy it!"

The same could be true of the whole album, as this is a relentless assault on the senses, and although they slow it down at times that is only so they can come back harder and faster next time around. This is deathcore, a band full of aggression and pissed off hate combined with metalcore breakdowns. “Unloved” may provide some respite from the full-on attack, but while there is always a need for dynamics, songs such as these don’t really work. It is when everyone is stood firm and attacking the world while singer Joe Badolato spits venom that they come alive. The atmospheric bits don’t work for a band like this, which is all about sweat and energy. It is the more death metal parts of this band that really work, and although this is enjoyable, it would be more interesting to me personally if they moved more into that area.