Phylum Morph-Apokalupsis is a split CD released out of Sevared Records on January 30th. The CD features brutal death metal, grindcore band Animals Killing People and the sci-fi loving hyper-grinding brutal death metal troop Andromorphus Rexalia. Both bands hailing from New York, United States, have released one full length so far. On an added note the two bands share drummer Wilson Rairan, guitarist and bassist Joseph Brown, and vocalist and guitarist Ammo Diaz
The samples for the Animals Killing People side of this split certainly live up to the band’s name. As you listen to the samples, usually an intro to a song, what you hear are the sounds of humans being ripped apart and screaming, creating a mental image of people being consumed by animals just as the name and the cover of the disc suggest. As well, the sample for the song “Human Hunting Season”, of which they brought back from there demo, ends with a “ribbit” that will make you burst out in laughter. The Andromorphus Rexalia samples certainly bring forth the sci-fi element of their lyrical themes, the very first sample, used on the song “Cosmic Collision into the Fifth Dimension”; I imagine it to be a body of some kind being lifted into the mother ship by a beam of light. (Or maybe I have an over active imagination).
Vocally on this record Animals Killing People tend to go with a more brutal death metal style, than grind. Joe "Goatbeard" Soranaka and Eston Browne use many different tones in their vocals to keep an interesting and ever changing vocal barrage. For Andromorphus Rexalia vocalists Ammo Diaz and Paulo Henri Paguntalan do some strange sounding combination of ultra guttural vocals and gurgle infested goregrind vocals, accompanied by some high pitched sound that sounds like a damned death ray.
Manned by Joseph Brown and his heavy distorted guitar and crusty bass tear up this record like it were a bed sheet and the instruments a knife. Insane shredding, super fast palm muted riffs; this is the staple of grind. Brown does not let you rest for a second; he continuously beats your ears into submission with the hammer that is his guitar and bass. What is notable about the Animals Killing People side is that the bass cuts through the thick guitar sound and is audible, whereas, most bands tend to cover up the bass in a blanket of overly distorted bass. The bass even jumps out in a lot of places; much like a fellow hiding behind the corner in a haunted house. It is disappointing that he did not keep the same bass tone for the Andromorphus Rexalia side. Brown’s work on the Andromorphus Rexalia side tends to mix the hyper grind with a slam esque pounding. It’s a cool sound and very enjoyable but pales in comparison to the Animals Killing People side of the guitar and bass work.
On drums is Wilson Rairan; Rairan pounds his drums in a fierce manor. The drums on this record, both sides, are relentless; like a nail being jammed into your head. The bass drums and cymbals blend into the overall sound of the guitars and bass but the snare is very prominent with the sauce pan sound common among these types of records. Rairan very rarely uses the toms in these recordings but when he does, they over power everything else at that particular millisecond.
I enjoy every second of this record, from “Mad Monkey Surgery” to “Chaosm”. Both Animals Killing People and Andromorphus Rexalia bring a truly intoxicating barrage of insanely fast and pounding death grind. Receiving 4 out of 5 stars, for me it is a worthy buy.
Written By : Darryn M. Palmer
