Origin | Entity
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
For those evolved (or arrogant) enough to appreciate (or pretend to) what equates to more or less organized musical chaos, it’s with much excitement that Entity, the newest ball of insanity from Kansas-based Origin, has finally hit the shelves, or, perhaps more accurately, the iTunes store.
Acting as more or less the polar opposite to Vomitory’s simple, old-school death classic, Opus VIII, from earlier this year, Origin’s Entity exemplifies the technical, chaotic, over-the-top side of death metal. Driving grooves are replaced with inhumanly fast blasts, and chunky power chords are left behind for sweeping arpeggios and fret gymnastics. While their roots may be in Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, and the like, Origin have far-exceeded even the fastest of the their forefathers’ output.
Though the occasional calmer passage does appear, for the most part Entity is an unrelenting stream of hyper-speed technicality. Taking a bit of inspiration from punk and grindcore, though, the generally under-two minute tracks work well to prevent boredom. Sure, after a while all of the songs do blur together, leaving listeners gasping for a power chord and straight groove, but this is designed to get the blood flowing and heart pumping. Think of it as the Jolt Cola of death metal. You definitely don’t drink Jolt to relax at the end of the day.
Honestly, there’s not a whole lot more to say about Entity. Those not familiar with the genre will likely be too overwhelmed to enjoy or appreciate it, and those fully vested in the current death metal world already know exactly what to expect. Either way, though, it’s impossible not respect the ridiculously high level of skill the members of Origin possess. So push play and hold on.
Genre: Death Metal
Band:
Paul Ryan (g,v)
John Longstreth (d)
Mike Flores (b,v)
Track Listing:
1. Expulsion of Fury
2. Purgatory
3. Conceiving Death
4. Swarm
5. Saligia
6. The Descent
7. Fornever
8. Committed
9. Banishing Illusion
10. Consequence of Solution
11. Evolution of Extinction
Label: Relapse Records
Website: www.myspace.com/origin
Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10