Since the arrival of the brutal trend on Death Metal, with bands playing in an extreme way, with some using of fast tempos, became almost a constant on the whole style, the thing got pretty interesting. Some names as KRISIUN, ZYKLON and ANGELCORPSE showed that a Death Metal band could sound louder, faster and even more aggressive without losing the quality insight. But there are many that still don't got the medium of quality, bring us good works, but nothing outstanding. And the Scottish quintet TOWER OF FLIES is delivering a good work on "Death Approaches", their first album.

They play a nasty, dirty and brutal way on Death Metal, keeping something from the Swedish school like earlier works from DISMEMBER and ENTOMBED. Without those tempos in the speed of light during all their songs (they really know how to make rhythmic changes, using very good slower moments), and taking advantage from a good technical insight, their work is truly good, but still lacks of something different from what many bands. It's good, but common.

The sound quality here is a guarantee that you can take the best of their work. Heavy and aggressive as the band needs, but with some clearness for us to understand what they are playing in every moment. This equilibrium enables us to understand and absorb their songs with no problems.

Being honest, the album is their debut, so they still have a long way to go on the scene. But as well, songs as the brutal "Death Approaches" (with a very good work done by bass guitar and drums in the rhythmic changes, going from fast tempos to slower ones with no great problems), "Abort" (these guitars are something astonishing! Very good riffs with bits of a melodic sense are presented here under all the aggressiveness), the oppressive and fast grip of "Hangman's Revel" (with some slower moments, and very good grunts contrasting with sickening guitars), the abrasive aggressive blow from "Twist of the Knife" (here, we can feel the presence of some modern influences on the guitars, along with Thrash Metal like riffs), and the almost Grindcore track "Force Fed" (just 54 seconds of brutality, but having some neck breaking moments) are the needed proofs of their potential.

In a near future, they can become great, but for now, "Death Approaches" is just a good first coming.<