VITRIOL burst on the scene seemingly out of nowhere and the hype around this band is considerable. For one because they are backed by Century Media Records, but also because of their strong live performances - some people on the interweb are more enthusiastic about their performances on their latest tour then about the headliner's. The band has so far independently released a three song EP in 2013 and since were perfecting a craft, recorded and album and signed a record deal. So they've been at it for a while and at least when it comes to live performances definitely ready for prime time. What about their debut? Does it live up to its hype?

"To Bathe from the Throat of Cowardice" has ten songs on it, mostly medium-length - only the last song is over six minutes long - and the total play time I minutes, not short for a Death Metal album. The opener "The Parting of a Neck" is a monstrous Death Metal rager and the band's strength are well showcased here: very tight playing that creates a dense wall of sound that feels like an aggressive onslaught on the senses. Their sound would stand comparison to the Florida's Death Metal bands like MORBID ANGEL, HATE ETERNAL or DEICIDE, it's not retro nor particularly "modern" sounding, just good old classic pummeling Death Metal. Although I enjoy the opener immensely, the problem with this record emerges after one gets a few songs into it: VITRIOL have a great sound, but they don't have memorable songs. The songwriting could definitely be more impactful: as much as I love the chaotic, quasi-technical riffs in songs lie "Crowned in Retaliation" or "Legacy of Contempt," the songs are just too predictable. They shift between more intense, riffy parts and groovy parts, and there is nothing much going on besides that except for guitar breaks and solos. It's technically impressive, but a bit dull, especially if there is not much variety across the album. There are great moments, for example the closer "Pain Will Define Their Death" has a nice climactic ending, but they get drowned in midst of all the relentless blasting and grinding unfortunately.

I love Death Metal as much as the next person, but "To Bathe from the Throat of Cowardice" has left me a bit cold - and trust me, it's not for a lack of trying, I've had the album on my music player for about three weeks. I'm impressed by the band's chops, I also like how the record sounds, but I don't find the music per se to be very memorable unfortunately.