A Vision of the Final Earth
Nexus Inferis
•
January 16, 2012
Do you remember the great MORBID ANGEL uproar of 2011? The clunky use of electronics on their last release turned off fans in droves and stirred up a vicious storm of Internet whining that was actually visible from outer space. Things may have turned out differently for Treyand the boys if only they had asked NEXUS INFERIS for a few electronic music pointers.
Over the 10 tracks on "A Vision of the Final Earth," listeners experience the classic struggle of our times - organic versus electronic, computer versus human. Like MORBID ANGEL, NEXUS INFERIS set out to create experimental music by mixing unrelenting Death Metal with the darkest and ugliest sounds that electronic music have to offer. Unlike MORBID ANGEL, NEXUS INFERIS actually succeeded.
"Tremor" follows a short intro track, and it blows the dust off your eardrums with blast beats galore. The song is a burst of energy that features a death groove breakdown at around the two minute mark. This track features plenty of lightning fast drumming with keyboard accents and atmospherics. Next up is the one-two punch of "The New Strain" and "A Vision of the Final World". "The New Strain" is an exercise of extremes, part death speed destruction, and part lush electronic soundscape. It sounds strange, but the stylistic tug of war helps keep things interesting. The title track, "A Vision of the Final World", is over seven minutes long, and it has a wider scope than the other songs. It starts with a spoken word intro, slides into a mid-paced riff and features occasional fits of speed. The band also works with different styles of vocals here, branching out from the traditional death growl. This is an ambitious track, and the band pulls it off admirably.
"Beyond Evolution Rubicon" brings memories of early FEAR FACTORY to these old ears. The angular stop/start riffing is almost bouncy, and the song features an interesting electronic breakdown at the two minute mark. A banging riff kicks back in after 30 seconds, and the added keyboard accents make for an interesting outro. "Destroyed Aperture" is an all-electronic track that provides a decent break from the blast beats. The next track (which has a very long name) is a short groover with Techno flourishes that acts as an intro for the speed-blast "Crown of Planets".
Next up is "Cerebrum", which I think is the most interesting song on the album. A traditional techno drum beat starts the song, and it often rears its head throughout. The complicated interplay of sounds gives the track an unpredictable feel that I found intriguing. Here, this electro/death combination is firing on all cylinders. The album closer, "Through My Conscious One Last Time," is, in turns, crushing and subtle, and it proves to be a satisfying finale.
Where "A Vision of Final Earth" really succeeds is in the unpredictable use of electronic soundscapes. Almost every track is a surprising, savage swirl, and many will leave your head spinning. The feel and flow of the songs often change rapidly, and the electronic sounds are woven in seamlessly. This is all the more impressive considering this is NEXUS INFERIS' debut album. It's easy to see why they landed the opening slot on the upcoming "Full Of Hate" tour in Europe; I only wish I could cross the Atlantic to see them.
8 / 10
Excellent
"A Vision of the Final Earth" Track-listing:
1. Perspective
2. Tremor
3. The New Strain
4. A Vision of the Final Earth
5. Beyond Evolution Rubicon
6. Destroyed Aperture
7. Resonate the Spark Under His Eye to the Flames in Outer Space
8. Crown of Planets
9. Cerebrum
10. Through My Conscious One Last Time
Nexus Inferis Lineup:
O.S.Entity - Guitars, Voice of the Final Earth, Synth, Sound-design
Lyn - Drums
Veracity - Vocals
More results...