85%
Humiliation—Face the Disaster (2009)
Details
EP recorded and mixed at Theatrical Studio, Malaysia (June–September 2009). Mastered at Saff Mastering, Chicago, USA. Released on Nebiula Production, 2009.
Website | Facebook | Encyclopedia Metallum
Band
- Bear-Bee—Vocals
- Matt—Guitars
- Afe—Bass
- Mudon—Drums
Tracks
- Nuclear imaging
- Strategy
- Fragging
- Battlefield
Review
It’s a familiar device to open an extreme metal album with a military-themed sound effect. This EP is no different although the opening track makes me think of an episode of M*A*S*H with its sound effect of a helicopter flying overhead.
The band soon kicks in and I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised.
Humiliation‘s sound is in the ballpark of Obituary or Gorefest: sludgy, thick riffs with the treble turned down way low; gruff, half-shouted vocals; double-kick drum blast beats; and a rhythm that bounces along almost joyfully… were it not for the fact that they are singing about nuclear destruction and the art of killing one’s fellow human being in the theatre of war.
“Nuclear imaging” (track 1) chugs along at a fair pace, switching in and out of slow and fast riffs. There is something classic about the song with a kind of call and response between guitars.
“Strategy” (track 2) kicks off with a simple but melodic riff that carries throughout the song. The wailing guitar solo about halfway through has an almost timeless quality to it. The song gradually draws to a close with an overdubbed monologue. This is perhaps my favourite track on the EP/
“Fragging” (track 3) has a nice riff about halfway through the builds the song back up from a premature conclusion. It’s probably my least favourite song of the four.
“Battlefield” (track 4) opens with a drum roll that builds and builds until… it’s that riff again from “Fragging”. Throughout the verses there’s an interesting riff moving around like an undercurrent. The song is certainly driven and focused. The song (and EP) ends with a couple of bursts of gunfire and an explosion.
Conclusion
This is a very decent four track EP, but the first half is, in my opinion, definitely stronger than the second. That said, I would happily choose to listen to this again. And have done, repeatedly over the last week.
Next week I’ve got Humilation’s 2010 album Dawn of Warfare to review. Let’s see if they can keep up the good work.
Review score: 85%