REVIEW: The Modern Age Slavery – “Requiem for Us All” (2013)

Artist:  The Modern Age Slavery [Facebook] [Twitter]

Album:  “Requiem for Us All”

Tracklist:

1. Requiem for Us All
2. The Dawn Prayer
3. Obedience
4. The Silent Death of Cain
5. Master Ivory Cage
6. Opiate of the Masses
7. Slaves of Time
8. To My Nation
9. Icon of a Dead World
10. Arise

Here to drop their sophomore release after playing shows with infamous bands such as Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse and Obscura, The Modern Age Slavery have come to break boundaries and push limits in the death metal scene.  With their new record, they’re hoping and preparing to do just that.  This is coming five years after the release of their debut, and they hope to not only top it, but to blow it out of the water and make a clear and meant-to-be-reckoned with name for themselves in not only death metal, but in music – period.  Without further introduction, here’s my review of “Requiem for Us All”:

The Good:

This album is positively a prime example of good death metal.  The drums blow the listener out of the water with fast-paced beats, never letting up throughout the album’s entirety, keeping the listener hooked and completely enthralled by the power it presents.  The drums are only the hook, though – here we find that, not only do the drums really stand out – but overall, everything does, a rare thing in death metal, I’ve found.  Normally just about one thing stands out dominantly, or everything is melded together without thought, rhyme or reason.  Here, though, everything makes is presence known, and nothing seems to be pushing it and conquering over all other sounds in the entire album.  Another plus is the speed, not only found in the drums but in everything – of course, it does have its slow moments, but this is a generally fast paced album overall and is truly exciting to me, because if you’re like me then you cannot stand it when a song is continuously dragged on-and-on.

The Bad:

This album, while it is actually entertaining, overall good and genuinely well written, is pretty bland.  It really is a generic death metal album, something you’d expect from many other young and upcoming artists in the scene.  This isn’t really entirely “bad,” but is sort of a letdown if you’re expecting anything innovative or mind-destroying.

Overall:

Even though I’ve made this album out, now, to be just a bit generic, that doesn’t take away from what the album really is – and that’s good.  This really is a good album – this album does everything it was put together to do:  entertain its audience and present well-made and written music.  It does that!  It’s just sad that, to some people, such as myself, it can come to sound a bit like the same old song-and-dance.  Still, don’t let that discourage you, because like I’ve said, I do like this album, and I did thoroughly enjoy it in its entirety.

Stand-Out Track:

“Icon of a Dead World”:  This is the song that really got me.  Personally, I’m bigger into deathcore than death metal, and this song was the “corieset of them all,” throwing down some sick and powerful breakdowns to send the listener into a fit of rage and excitement, quite the song to behold.

Closing:

This album makes a great addition to any collection, and presents a very good sound for death metal, even though it does at times sound generic and overdone.  I say you should give it a chance, like I did, because heed my words it IS a good album!  Give it a chance, and let yourself be immersed in the wave of sound that is The Modern Age Slavery.  “Requiem for Us All” is due out March nineteenth through Pavement Entertainment, so make sure you grab it and enjoy!

Rating:  7.8 / 10

For Fans Of:  The Last Felony, Fit For An Autopsy, The Partisan Turbine