Chile has a vast underground Death Metal scene, and RIPPER is just one piece in the clockwork. However, their music is influential to the scene through its sense of direction and sheer kinetic energy. Their latest offering, "Sensory Stagnation", is to be released on Sep. 30, 2019 is a testament to face-ripping Death/Thrash Metal with a sense of melody.

Opening with a fast and melodic intro, this EP is set into play with great momentum. "The Unreal", the first and only single to promote the EP, is a ripping five minutes of relentless riffing, apex production and groove.

The songwriting is very well-done on this record, with different sequences to the songs that keep them from being repetitive. They all have fast riffs, none of which exhibit originality in style, but do so in execution. "Terror Streets" is notable for its melodic change later in the song, giving the listener something new to chew on. Each track has something like this, making the EP worth spinning again.

The title track is a definite highlight, largely thanks to its main riff alone. The song is unpredictable, and it hits all the right notes at the right time. With a nice sense of melody and direction, the song flies by in a blur of thrashing mayhem. Near the end, the main riff comes back in full force, perfectly tying the song full circle.

On top of the good writing, this record is extremely well-produced. The guitars have a nice level of rawness to them while the bass is whole-sounding and loud in the mix. The bass is what really stands out to me because it doesn't mimic the guitar all the time; it meanders off to do its own thing, adding an extra flare to the record.

Ripper have created a force to be reckoned with. The riffs on this album are ruthless, and the bass is wild. The end result is a band that really knows how to write good Death/Thrash Metal. If you're a fan of old DEMOLITION HAMMER or KREATOR, this band is basically the amped-up version of them.