ALBUM REVIEW: Aeons of Misery – Visions of Disfigurement
British heaviness has been on a progressive upward slope for the past decade, with a seeming endless array of quality acts working their way up the ranks of the underground to help solidify the scene as one of the most vibrant and excellent in the world. As the hardcore and beatdown scenes swell, so to does the deathcore and slam side of the spectrum, with bands like INGESTED and OSIAH proving just how brutal Brits can get. VISIONS OF DISFIGUREMENT have been a staple of the Mancunian scene for their life span and stand as one of the finest examples of the sheer silliness that is often coupled with music this intensely heavy.
On their debut, 2016’s Abhorrent Extinction, the band had their tongue firmly in their cheek as they wrote songs about genital mutilation and all manner of horrible and awful things, but things feel a bit different this time round. Aeons of Misery is the follow up to their impactful debut, and it does what every good sophomore record should do; it builds upon everything that was there and streamlines the delivery something fierce.
The Body Farm is a welcome introduction into the terrifying hellscape that makes up the majority of this record. With traditional elements of slam honed to a sharp point with the excellent production value the album offers, VISIONS make a clear statement of intent that they are returning for their position as the premier of British brutality. The title track is an savage attack on the ears, with some stand out vocals that sit atop the bassy track as it opens with a bang. The flow of the record feels good, as songs bleed into one another and never seem to out stay their welcome. There is a sense of consolidation as every song is packed with everything needed to make it pop and does so in excellent time.
Kadingir Sanctum shows the band to be taking clear influence from the booming death metal scene at the moment, as they utilise a repeating guitar lead to structure the song well. It actually feels mildly refreshing when you hear a band from the slamming death metal scene take the time to craft their songs with care and aforethought, with the easy trap of being heavy for heavy sakes often taking hold on too many of the genres bands. VISIONS OF DISFIGUREMENT recognise the need to write interesting and agile songs that still hit like a ten tonne hammer.
Despite these excellent qualities to the record, there is no denying the often cookie cutter nature VISIONS OF DISFIGUREMENT songs sometimes take. There is no real stretch of influences on this record, instead the band making their roots in the beatdown and deathcore scene even deeper. With a wealth of music that could easily seep into the blueprint and provide a broader selection of sounds, VISIONS seem intent on honing their sound to a razor point, taking a different approach to their contemporaries in groups like INGESTED and BLACK TONGUE. This being said, with a gap atop the market now ACRANIA have seemingly packed their bags, a band that does meat and potatoes music this fucking good is definitely needed to keep the gigs coming and providing more access to the diversifying underground. This is something VISIONS OF DISFIGUREMENT seem destined to be, as they prove themselves to not only be of an incredibly high quality, but also seem to be taking themselves far more seriously on Aeons of Misery than was felt before.
For all its’ shortcomings, there is a lot to enjoy in Aeons of Misery, and it should do a lot of good for VISIONS OF DISFIGUREMENT. With an album that sounds as punishing as this, and is packed with as many well crafted songs as this record is, there is a forgiveness for the lack of expansion in the sound. Instead, VISIONS OF DISFIGUREMENT root themselves deeper in the sound that made them such an explosive name to watch from the outset, and their growing confidence will only further improve the value of their stock. As the British scene continues to prove to the world its quality, Aeons of Misery is one of the better releases of the year to be spewed forth from the rotten depths of the death metal underbelly.
Rating: 7/10
Aeons of Misery is out now via Realityfade Records.
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