Pulling Teeth

Riding the line between metallic hardcore’s earlier years when Poison Idea and Integrity were fresh faces and the barrage unleashed by the likes of Cursed and newer entities, Pulling Teeth’s sophomore opus is a dizzying array of chunky breakdowns, searing guitar solos and raspy, overbearing vocals. When left to their own devices, the musicians venture in borderline-Slayer territory, as songs escalate into frenzied bursts of technical brilliance. However, when "settling back” and allowing the throat-tearing vocals to take the lead, Martyr Immortal’s thick, surging backbone is at its most powerful and ferocious. While debut effort Vicious Skin seemed impossible to surpass, when compared to the accomplished performances, overall brutality and incensed aggression of Martyr Immortal, it seems almost juvenile. This album brings extremity to a new level.