Denton, TX death metal unit Creeping Death have been creating buzz since they dropped their first demo in 2015, the year the band formed. Their reputation was bolstered by a subsequent pair of loud and laudable EPs, making them one of the more talked-about bands in the underground. Now, they're ready to unleash their debut full-length, Wretched Illusions, a warcry of old school death metal.
The crux of Creeping Death's signature sound is a blend of old-school death metal with the crossover thrash of, say, fellow Texans Power Trip and Iron Age. It's visceral music, with an emphasis on rhythm and mosh-conducive riffage. It really shines on this album, thanks to some keen mixing by Arthur Rizk (Pissgrave, Outer Heaven), who brings out the best of each musician's performance. The guitars are loud and punchy, every snare sounds like a gunshot, and Reese Alavi's vocals call to mind some cave-dwelling demon.
It's the perfect palette of sound for the style Creeping Death are exploring. From beginning to end, Wretched Illusions is either chasing you around a circle pit or slamming you in a mosh. Songs like "Captivity" and "Consumed" channel the rudimentary heaviness of Grave and Bolt Thrower, while "Bloodlust Contamination" and album opener "Ripping Through Flesh" terrorize with frenetic thrash riffs and breakdowns.
Despite how exhilarating each song is on its own, they begin to feel a little formulaic over the course of the album. Some unorthodox song structures or transitions would have helped break things up.
As it stands, Wretched Illusions is a formidable debut that ensures Creeping Death's place near the forefront of the OSDM resurgence.
(eOne)The crux of Creeping Death's signature sound is a blend of old-school death metal with the crossover thrash of, say, fellow Texans Power Trip and Iron Age. It's visceral music, with an emphasis on rhythm and mosh-conducive riffage. It really shines on this album, thanks to some keen mixing by Arthur Rizk (Pissgrave, Outer Heaven), who brings out the best of each musician's performance. The guitars are loud and punchy, every snare sounds like a gunshot, and Reese Alavi's vocals call to mind some cave-dwelling demon.
It's the perfect palette of sound for the style Creeping Death are exploring. From beginning to end, Wretched Illusions is either chasing you around a circle pit or slamming you in a mosh. Songs like "Captivity" and "Consumed" channel the rudimentary heaviness of Grave and Bolt Thrower, while "Bloodlust Contamination" and album opener "Ripping Through Flesh" terrorize with frenetic thrash riffs and breakdowns.
Despite how exhilarating each song is on its own, they begin to feel a little formulaic over the course of the album. Some unorthodox song structures or transitions would have helped break things up.
As it stands, Wretched Illusions is a formidable debut that ensures Creeping Death's place near the forefront of the OSDM resurgence.