Obviously when a band first starts recording and releasing music an EP is the way to go. There isn't the pressure of having to create a full length, consistent and engaging album and they can still get their name out onto the scene and begin building the most important part of any ambitious band, their fanbase. This is in a roundabout way what really irritates me about Cleveland, Ohio based SHED THE SKIN's debut EP, "Rebirth Through Brimstone". Why? Because it's brilliant. A thoroughly engaging slab of Death Metal that only consists of two songs and leaves you yearning for more.

Now obviously there are important things to be said in this case. Leaving a listener wanting more is going to be important when a full length hits the shelves. From a sales perspective having a decent preview to a debut album can help immensely. That's just sense. The other point is while an EP might be superb, could that be the limits of the bands ability and the album could fall flat with the tracks on it not living up to the prequel. In SHED THE SKIN's case I really hope and slightly suspect that this won't happen.

In a nutshell this is a brilliant little two track record. Opener "Skaphe Of Christ/Rebirth Through Brimstone" kicks off in imposing fashion. As the title suggests it can be divided into two halves. The first is a slow atmospheric slab of Death-Doom, grinding ponderously out of the speakers, with impressive growls from vocalist Ash Thomas. After two minutes it bursts into live at breakneck speed with the obligatory blast beats and driving rhythm complemented by guitar flourishes and screeching solos. "Luminous Transgressions" is very much in the same vein as the latter half of the preceding track. High speed and intense from start to finish, it's short, sweet and a headbangers dream.

So, after waxing lyrical about this record, where does it lose marks? Well as I've already mentioned, I want/need more. It may be a good two tracks, but it's two tracks only nonetheless. Secondly, to the best of my knowledge, there is apparently a keyboardist in this band... To say it gets lost in the mix would be a vast understatement. Frankly I had absolutely no idea, and I suspect no one else will when listening to this either. But he's in there somewhere, hidden away behind a wall of sound that doesn't really sound like it needs anything else being done to it. Great start, can we have the debut album please?