|
|
|
A Plea For Purging
Depravity
Album length: 11 tracks: 42 minutes, 50 seconds
Street Date: March 3, 2009
|
|
It's a good time to be a Christian metal fan right now. It seems everywhere you turn, more new metal is being released,
and you may have a hard time picking which band to buy. Well, here's some more music to choose from. The Murfreesboro,
Tennessee band A Plea For Purging has released their sophomore album on Facedown Records, entitled Depravity.
A Plea For Purging's musical approach can best be described as August Burns Red with less breakdowns and somewhat more
straightforward song structure. The vocals are low and very guttural, which sounds good for the most part, as long as they are
supported by the instrumentation. By themselves, as we hear briefly in the third track "Malevolence," they sound somewhat
strained and forced. The guitars chug along in the typical metalcore style, occasionally breaking out into some fast runs or
high, more ethereal accompaniment. Every once in a while, an electronic feel will emerge briefly, which is a nice touch.
The overall sound is solid and exactly what the listener would expect from a metalcore band.
Unfortunately, A Plea For Purging has one very obvious flaw that affects the entire album. There is very little
variation between tracks, especially where rhythm is concerned, and at some point every song becomes a slow, grinding growl
that drags for longer than is warranted. By the time the listener gets to the final track, everything has started to sound the
same. Occasionally the band does manage to produce an energetic sound that can carry the track through, without getting boring.
The aforementioned "Malevolence" is definitely the high point of Depravity, bringing a consistent energy that mounts
very nicely into a soaring chorus. "Traitor," "Motives," and "Retribution" are also solid efforts. Yet, the other tracks do not
always measure up.
A Plea For Purging is a talented band that could use some more experience in songwriting before they will be able to
unleash their full potential. It is definitely nice to hear a band that isn't entirely committed to endless breakdowns. In
that sense, Depravity possesses a refreshing sound. At the same time, this is a flawed album. Metal fans looking for
new music will be justified in purchasing Depravity, but they should expect only an average effort.
- Review date: 3/2/09, written by Timothy Estabrooks of Jesusfreakhideout.com
|
 Record Label: Facedown Records
Album length: 11 tracks: 42 minutes, 50 seconds
Street Date: March 3, 2009
Buy It: Amazon.com
- Descension (0:27)
- Retribution (3:38)
- Malevolence (4:00)
- Holocausts (3:48)
- Motives (3:24)
- Devourer (4:30)
- Prevaricator (4:27)
- Traitor (4:13)
- Misanthropy (3:18)
- Reputation (4:35)
- Depravity (6:34)
|
|
|
