Finnish Death Metal Legions NOUTAJA recently released their first EP, titled "Never Meant to Save Us", in summary the EP is quite succinct where quality is concerned and the extremity in which it dispels takes many forms in its architecture of the songs.

One of the positives that unfolds itself upon the EP which is also evident in the way its veins are embedded within the tracks comes in the form of the production. A state of equilibrium is achieved by fusing both spirits found in Old School Melodic Death Metal with the texture of Modern Death Metal, the result? A unified concoction whose fluidity is absorbed by the musical variables, enhancing the overall listening experience while also providing much needed depth in the dissonance forged. Take for instance the track, "Taller Walls and Stronger Cages", if one were to dissect this track for solely its production merits, one of the noticeable features that bleeds into the EP is the fact that it magnifies the atmosphere, in that both the mix and the instrumental components feels naught foreign to each other, rather they intertwine into each other's essence perfectly. For at times throughout the release, it is because of the production these songs exude the vibe of being an exposed nerve, where the surrounding stimuli feeds into its reaction, to me personally this adds a visceral nature to "Never Meant To Save Us".

If the production represented the spirit that is invoked upon the EP, the instruments would be the tools that constructs its sepulchre, where the wraith becomes free to roam, unhindered by any force. This symbiosis achieved is demonstrated upon tracks such "Coils" and "Deicidal Tendencies" where the cohesion between the strings and percussion manifests a discordant aura, one whose ophiomormous motion flickers like the hungry flame that yearns to taste the sky as it dances in pleasure, contorting its very being. This serpentine cadence reveals itself in the grooves and frenetic riffing that is employed throughout the length of the EP, as it is within these particular movements that grants a unique trait to the song structures whereby the grooves dismantles the monuments constructed by the up-tempo compositions.

The vocals unveil itself as another meritorious moment on "Never Meant To Save Us", as its delivery integrates itself seamlessly into the waves of the musical elements, the register used, while not overly unique, what is appreciated is the enunciation coupled with the aphotic candour it oozes. Overall, for NOUTAJA's first EP, this is quite a delectable morsel that is certain to whet the appetite of any Extreme Metal enthusiasts, as there is much to savour in terms of its quality of musical composition where extremity and grooves are craved.