Despite the grandiose nature of the name and song titles, SAPROBIONTIC seems at least at first to play a stripped down, straight ahead style of Death/Thrash Metal. The first song, "Fires of Judgement", is plodding and cavernous, resting on one riff with minor variations here and there. When the band speeds up, they preserve their uncomplicated brutality. "Biological Invaders" is definitely quicker, with more frenzied drumming and deep, sinister vocals; but the riffs are slamming and primal just as on "Fires of Judgement". Unlike a lot of Brutal Death Metal, the production leaves room for the riffs to be clear and not melded with the drums in a miasmic cloud of sound.

SAPROBIONTIC has a good understanding of how to build intensity in a song; the chromatic crescendo on "Curtain of Truth" is hair-raising no matter how often I hear it. Many of the riffs have a marching aura to them that propels the music forward, and simple motifs build anticipation to a fever pitch. Energetic stop-start riffing is used to great effect on "Apocalyptic Conflagration", another in the list of songs that sounds like Technical Death Metal but is not. The dragging, pulverizing riffs as well as occasional bass rolls create an atmosphere of roiling chaos.

SAPROBIONTIC privileges the Death Metal side of their music for the most part, but thrashy riffs come through on songs like "Nemesis of the World" or the pedal-tone sections on "Biological Invaders". Another surprise on "Nemesis of the World" is the very brief melodic interlude. Although only a few seconds long, it is still unexpected from a band wholly committed to brutality. There are not many surprises presented on the album in general, however. Some songs are more Thrash Metal influenced than others, like "Nemesis of the World" or the plodding, grinding "Eschaton", but the band's maxim is always the same. There are seldom guitar solos or melodic moments at all on this album, except for "Language of a Lost Empire", "Pathogen-Induced Insanity" and "Biological Invaders".

The last few songs on the album are too long in my estimation; without any break in or deviation from the pummeling, often very similar-sounding riffs, five minutes is a tall order and it is challenging to hold the listener's interest for that long. My biggest problem with SAPROBIONTIC is how easy it feels to stop actively taking in the songs and let them wash over you. Good band, good riffs, but it's all too monochromatic after a point.