Kalibas/Rune

New York's Kalibas kick off this excellent split CD with four songs of technical death metal with a grindcore edge. Although they aren't exploring too much new territory, these guys have already established themselves as a band poised to break into the top echelon of death metal. Their sound brings to mind heavyweights such as Cryptopsy or perhaps a less wanky Dying Fetus (don't get me wrong, DF's wank rocks), and the clear production, intense drumming and the brevity of it all will leave heads spinning. Rune follow up with a similar sound, stretching their four songs out a bit longer and adding in more high-pitched screams. Again, technical flourishes abound, with plenty o’ weird guitar notes and micro-double bass fills thrown in for good measure. The whole thing clocks in at around 30 minutes, which is perfect for such relentless, speedy and technical stuff.