Superstition

The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation

BY Jack KelleherPublished Jun 20, 2019

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Little is known of death metal outfit Superstition. What we have are reports of strange black dogs attacking people in cemeteries, people waking to find their furniture inexplicably moved around, and the 2018 demo Surging Throng of Evil's Might, which still causes clergymen to fearfully clutch at rosaries while mumbling in Latin.
 
Since then, the band have amassed the power to manifest their first full-length, The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation, a collection of crazed death metal cuts designed to profane the world indelibly.
 
Superstition's style is deeply grounded in the most primordial of American death metal, particularly early Morbid Angel. Every track is a relentless barrage of otherwordly riffs recalled from premonitory dreams. Even the production pays homage to the old guard, with guitars tearing through the mix like jagged teeth, pummelling drums, and vocals that wash over everything like a disembodied voice coming from every corner of the room.
 
It all comes together to deliver some truly freakish riffs, possibly played on alien guitars capable of only sour notes. Combined with an onslaught of drumming, it's the sound of every torture device in hell turning at once, while the vocals call out over it like the Grand Inquisitor. However, that wall of sound is at once the album's greatest allure and detraction. While it does impart a great sense of madness and chaos, it can make it hard to differentiate between tracks. For example, "Spiritual Sunderance" sounds very similar to "Torn in the Outer Lands."
 
The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation isn't breaking new ground for death metal. In fact, it venerates the foundation laid down by its predecessors. It makes for some monotony over the course of the album, but also some truly nasty tunes. If you want fast, loud and evil, this is it.
(20 Buck Spin)

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