APPARITION is a Death Metal trio from Los Angeles, California. "Feel" is the band's debut album, released by Profound Lore Records on October 22, 2021.

Let me start off by saying that this is a great album. However, my main complaint with this record is the same one that I've had with a lot of the Death Metal albums that I've reviewed over this past year: amazing riffs, mediocre production. This record packs brutal riffs in like a crowded New York City subway car ("Unequilibrium"), and one could argue that the less-compressed production choices harken back to the sounds of the early Death Metal records by POSSESSED, AUTOPSY, and DEATH. And that's all well and good - the guitar sound on this record is phenomenal I will say. However, it really is a shame that the drums don't stand out more. On tracks like "Drowning In The Stream Of Consciousness," there are passages of double kick patterns that are practically indistinguishable from the rest of the mix because of the fact that the kick drum sounds more "thuddy" with less emphasis on the treble frequencies, thereby being lost underneath the booming bass and down tuned guitars. I also wish that I could actually hear what the vocalist was saying, as he is also often buried in the mix.

Still, the riffs are what save this record for me, and APPARITION has them in spades. Some highlights from the track listing include "Perpetually Altered," which has a very distinct Death-Doom vibe; the title track, which is a fun crescendo to insanity; and "Nonlocality," which felt the most like a BOLT THROWER tune.

Overall, if APPARITION work on their production even just a smidge, their next album could be near perfect. They have the riffs and musicianship to back it up, and the influences from both the Tampa Bay and London Death Metal scenes make for a unique combination within the genre. An enjoyable record from relative newcomers, this is a must-listen for Death Metal fans.