Deeds Of Flesh
Gradually Melted

Deeds Of Flesh have been a band in circulation for more than a decade now, but very little has been said about them; the basis of this disregard is nothing but ignorance because they represent, or rather, have represented, one of the most lively and deadly sides of Brutal Death. Unfortunately, lately, they have settled into their sound, stalling their evolution process and delivering excellent albums that, however, are not destined to remain in history. The group hails from California, a land that only in recent years has started to beef up the already saturated ranks of "death metal," but enriching them with very talented musicians (Disgorge, Vile, Severed Savior etc); lately, Deeds Of Flesh have become owners of the small but very active label "Unique Leader," thus establishing themselves in the Death/Grind scene not only as prominent figures but also as Patrons.

The album I am going to review is their first work, an EP made up of only five tracks: it should be noted that the band only acquired a second guitarist in recent times while until a few years ago, the members were only three. Nevertheless, thanks to Erik Lindmark's extreme skill, vocalist and guitarist, they managed to craft some truly excellent works that remain unmatched to this day; "Gradually Melted" is one of them, released in 1994 but available in reissue since 1998. Despite being only the debut, the technical prowess demonstrated by our band is nothing short of devastating: only the latest Cryptopsy are able to do the same, but certainly not the ones from the early days. The riffing is one of the most difficult ever written, very articulated, and made up of practically continuous tempo changes (just watch Lindmark's hands in the live videos: they never stay still). Intricate, extremely fast, and at the same time deadly. Equally twisted and varied is the rhythm section. Don't expect the usual, stale blast beats, even though we are still at the beginnings of the genre, Deeds Of Flesh had no intention of closing themselves within the clichés of the genre: calling this drumming a diamond is not an exaggeration given the extremism, the unimaginable difficulty, and the sharp insights of the drummer. The bassist proves to be one of the best in the scene, capable not only of filling the sound excellently but also of unleashing a series of incredibly powerful breaks. Lastly, a huge asset of this album is the voice, alternating between a very deep growling (performed by the singer) and a lacerating screaming (performed by the bassist, who in the latest works also performs an even lower growling than that of the singer). A note of merit also for the production, compressed to the extreme and for this reason comparable to that of the masterpieces of the early nineties (see "Butchered At Birth" by Cannibal Corpse), in fact, it is surprising that the producer is not the great Scott Burns. The songs are perfectly structured and, as per tradition, alternate parts of lightning speed with slowdowns which, although numerically fewer, play a fundamental role in creating a "groovy" atmosphere. The mood, if you can speak of mood, consists of schizoid and completely insane atmospheres but not particularly affected nor suffocating. In this sense, it is comparable to the lyrics, centered on themes of death but without the smug morbidity of so many other bands in the genre: their lyrics, in fact, are more focused on the fear and/or desire to die, although not neglecting some typically Gore details.

The very fact that I am reviewing this EP should make you understand that it is a very underrated and forgotten work, which has never received the consideration of anyone, not even their fans, who usually start the productive discography of our band from the following "Trading Pieces"; however, I might even say that "Gradually Melted" surpasses in intensity and the high concentration of excellent songs the much (or rather little) celebrated aforementioned CD. Out of five songs, there isn't one that can be dismissed with a mediocre pass, they are all authentic gems. Listening to similarly contemporary records of the same genre, it is easy to notice how innovative and out-of-the-box this work was: superior technique, meticulous songwriting, and a massive dose of power make it an absolute must-have. By purchasing "Gradually Melted" you will have the assurance of having five wonderful songs: I recommend looking for the reissue, sold at a price suitable for an EP, unlike others like "Despise The Sun" by Suffocation, and not the original which is around fifty dollars. I am usually a bit tight on the ratings I give to EPs, but considering the price at which it is sold and its quality I can't help but award this work the highest rating.