This is the shortest EP I've ever reviewed, maybe the shortest I've ever listened to. But it is possible to make a mark in such a short time, as DEATHROLL proves. You might be inclined to look at the name of the band and guess what type of music they play. You should go with that guess. DEATHROLL are purveyors of nasty, dirty riffs that drip with swagger and thrashy aggression. The name would suggest a significant DEATH METAL influence, but at least on the first track, "The Rise of Artificial Souls", THRASH METAL is a closer descriptor of their work. The song opens with a jumpy pedal tone riff that sets the head banging, and unleashes periodic bursts of frenetic blast beats. There is a mellow section just before the second minute that serves to underscore the brutality preceding and following it; as well as showing beyond a doubt that it is possible to fit so many dynamics into only 2:57 worth of music.

"Into the Vortex" begins on a flurry of pull offs and a slightly oddly-timed riff befitting that song title. Here the band starts to show more of a DEATH METAL influence, although mostly in the vocals. Diego Rojas growls like he is possessed by a demon. That and the drumming are more reminiscent of DEATH METAL while the guitars mostly sound thrash-based. There is plenty of blast beat work on "Into the Vortex" as there is on the rest of the EP. Drummer Kevin Talley has a lot of room to show off his chops, especially during slower moments, which are driven especially by the drums.

"Into the Vortex" changes almost into a different song about 2 minutes in, when the band goes into a riff that sounds inspired by DEATH, and slows down a bit. From there the pace is less breakneck and the guitars are more sparing, with a greater number of ringing long notes.

This reprieve is sharply interrupted by "Visceral End", which kicks in with another untethered burst of THRASH METAL fury, and is vitriolic to the end, despite featuring Diego Rojas at his most intelligible. It becomes more measured early on and stays that way, reining back the tempo but retaining the excitement. The EP is both a quick listen and a good one, at least for fans of extreme metal. The production is clear but unpolished, which preserves the authenticity and feeling contained within the songs. The riffs are strong but although creative (such as my personal favorite riff, the intro of "Into the Vortex"), not mind-blowing. Then again, this is only a 3 song EP, and all songs under 4 minutes at that; who knows what other tricks DEATHROLL has for us? This definitely makes me excited to find out.