When people think of a subjective figure for the concept of evolution on Metal genres, never think of something linear (in other words, evolution isn’t a line); instead of that, think of something similar to a tree. It’s because some evolution on a ‘line’ way can’t answer some questions. As an example, think of bands as SARCÓFAGO, BLASPHEMY, VON and BEHERIT: they’re not into a form of Black Metal near of what came from MAYHEM, DARKTHRONE, ROTTING CHRIST, MARDUK, DISSECTION or other in this sense, but share some elements with them. And the brutal and noisy form of the three first names written above is what influences the work of the USA-based quintet GENOCIDAL RITES, as heard on “Genocidal Upheaval of Subservient Abrahamic Law” (that’ll be shortened to “Genocidal Upheaval…” from this point on to save space and patience), their first full-length.

J.C. Griffin (sound engineering, production) and Jack Control (mastering) helped the band to create the full-length’s sonority. Obviously that releases as “I.N.R.I.”, “Drawing Down the Moon” and “Fallen Angel of Doom” served as references: something brutal, bleak and murky, distorted and nasty; but there’s a point that must be clean: they worked to keep things defined (what means that it’ll not be hard to understand what’s being played), what’s a big difference between these guys and many other acts that just make things filthy to be called ‘real’. And the artwork of Jenglot Hitam is great, using few colors, but with charming lines on the art.

Musically, “Genocidal Upheaval…” is like a big musical ‘fuck you’ in the face of many, using a simple (but brilliant) technical approach, with very good contrasts between ambiences and tempos (pay attention as it works perfectly on “Genocidal Upheaval…”), many Death/Black Metal influences, Hardcore touches and brutality being spread to every side. But’s amazing how they unleash a brutal and oppressive energy, with very good extreme hooks. Liking it or not isn’t a matter if you’re into Old School Black Metal or Black Metal from today, but if you’re into Metal!

The massive attack imposed by songs as “Genocidal Upheaval of Subservient Abrahamic Law” (pay attention to the screamed vocals and insane guitar riffs, especially on the slower moments), “Severed Heads of the Spiritual Rat King” (a hardcorized war tank based on a simple and very good rhythmic work of bass guitar and drums), “Ritualistic Invocation of Blaspheric Annihilation”, “IX Gods/IX Graves” (on this one, they use some charming and funereal ambiences, even on such fast tempos), “NGAA Incarnate” (the noisy riffs and solos contrasts with some Old School Hardcore/D-Beat tempos), “Death Howls from the Abyssal Sepulchres”, “Nuclear Devastation at the Gates of Mekka” (this one has some hooking extreme elements, especially on the guitars), “Order of the Most Profane” (again many hooks can be heard, along with a pile-driving set of rhythms), “Ceremonial Beheading of the Sons of Abraham” and “Necrotic Hellhounds of an Atomic Future” is enough to show that this quintet can occupy the space left by the absence of SARCÓFAGO and BLASPHEMY, because they’re truly great.

“Genocidal Upheaval…” is a very good first coming, and if you think such a genre is easy to be done, pay attention to what GENOCIDAL RITES plays…