ALBUM REVIEW: Equinox – Gross Misconduct

With the fierce amount of competition in the metal world there are countless examples of bands who quietly go about their business, have achieved a commendable fan base and release consistent, polished material but for one reason or another never reach the acclaim or recognition that their efforts merit. Canada’s progressive death metal outfit GROSS MISCONDUCT fall into this category, they are approaching the milestone of 20 years as a band and are hoping to celebrate the success of their third full length effort entitled Equinox.

Equinox begins with a vibrant, energetic tone and some snappy shredding accompanied by raspy vocals. The catchy lead work gets the album off to an impressive start as the track shifts tempo throughout. A Place Of Bones makes a powerful entrance with some frenzied riffing reminiscent of GOJIRA‘s combination of aggression and melody. A jazzy bass section is introduced providing a brief portion of tranquillity before discordant guitar work and evil growls give the track a more sinister twist. Exhaustive, Integral commences with a more doomy, dark demeanour before the fast pace and intricacies return. The adept guitar work cuts through the mix with clear definition.

Triserpentine injects a bit of crazy drum work into the fold supported by proficient tapping segments. The diverse array of techniques displayed in this track confronts the listener with a variety of engaging elements to keep them absorbed throughout. After The Vultures continues the manic energy levels with some groovy lead work, the track ebbs and flows in pace but the levels of technicality never waiver. If anything this works in GROSS MISCONDUCT’s favour as the riffs are accentuated by the subdued tempo. Ocean Inferno also takes advantage of this as the bass lines and guitar work battle for prominence immersing you in skilful waves of musicianship.

The Cloak turns up the heat with chaotic bursts of riffing and frantic drumming. Despite this being the shortest track on the album it’s compacted nature results in a more impactful end product leaving you yearning for more. It feels like a shame that Slow Burn signifies the final stage of Equinox but the slick lead work could have been orchestrated by Chuck Schuldiner himself, like a spider weaving a complex web. The throes of intensity are separated by a calming interlude before the track picks up the pace one more time to end the album on an emphatic note.

It is great to see that after twenty years GROSS MISCONDUCT are still hungry and want to push their creativity. Equinox provides an impressive blend of new and old death metal influences whilst still putting their own identifiable stamp on the tracks. Hopefully this release propels them into the spotlight as it would be criminal for this album to be overlooked for contention in the quickly approaching end of year lists.

Rating: 8/10

Equinox is due for independent release November 2nd via self-release.

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