Released on: 13th October 2018
With Genetically Engineered To Enslave, the fourth album from Solium Fatalis, we have a blistering cacophony of melodic blackened death metal. Pristine in its production and potent in its riff-ery. But with most of the attention alluding to its finer details the bigger picture is often masked to fit the albums obvious technical prowess.
As with most death metal releases the concept and lyrics behind Genetically Engineered To Enslave are best enjoyed either sitting reading on the pan or while pontificating with a cup of tea, or doing both at the same time. The vocals in contrast to the ideas they present, and featuring Matt McGachy of Cryptopsy and Haydee Irizarry of Carnivora, are ordinarily extreme and fitting towards the premise of human eugenics. The main vocal track is harsh, abrasive and expected of the genre.
While on the subject of farms– you could plant a mosh pit and live off the (energy) grid with the grind that’s coming off these riffs. However intense and technically impressive they are there are times when the passion evolves more like desperation. Desperation to make a four minute track. And while some sense of meaning is lost in the choice in the overall song structure for the most part Genetically Engineered To Enslave is a solid album with firm foundations.
7/10
