Never to Arise

Feminists, steer clear! Hacked to Perfection, from Florida's Never to Arise, isn't for the faint of heart, nor anyone who would take its lyrical themes seriously, as it's immensely violent and gory, not to mention incredibly misogynistic and highly offensive. But it's also a truly amazing death metal release. The fact that this kind of massive brutality was created by only two people (Gordon Denhart and Michael Kilborn) and a drum machine is impressive in itself. Never to Arise offer extreme metal that's musically and thematically grotesque, in the best possible way. On Hacked to Perfection, the duo have it where it counts, displaying skilled musicianship with each crushing track, as the album is filled with intricate guitar work and bone-sawing riffs. Replete with hammering drum blasts and hatred-spewing guttural vocals, Hacked to Perfection is a strenuous listen, which is exactly how brutal death metal should be.