I was firstly introduced to DAATH when The Hinderers hit the stores somewhere in the early of 2007. Then I learned that daath is a Jewish word given to the place where the ten sefirot become one on the tree of life. This info is quite of interesting linking the music to the mysticism of the Jewish Kabbalah. Actually, the band's intentions were (I do not know if still are) to produce a Kabbalah concept comprising the impressive number of thirteen albums!
So, what had chanced after the The Hinderers album? First of all the band has a new singer in the lineup; Sean Z. is behind the microphone and he is actually doing a fine job there. His vocals fit this multy-influenced music genre by handling very well the deep growls and screams. DAATH continue on the same path of the previous album with the Progressive Death Metal that is always reminding me of Chuck Schuldiner's late works. the song structure is quite complicated but still possesses a hearty heaviness that is there to warm your neck. The sophisticated guitars are the main issue here hitting hard with fast fills and rapid scale changes. The interesting thing here is that despite the complexity DAATH manage to reserve Death Metal's brutality while implementing high doses of melody. The Unbinding Truth is an excellent example; the mid tempo joins the distinct guitar melodies solidly supported by the compact drum work. This song justifies the dark atmosphere that dominates the album and possibly support the lyrical content(I do not have the lyrics to be sure).
I do not want to 'scare' you off by underlying the complexity of the songs since the album hit hard with the modern Death Metal approach through the excellent sound production Actually, in behind the sound console we find Jason Suecof and Mark Lewis who have already connected their name with bands like TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS and DEVILDRIVER. Songs like Sharpen The Blades, Silenced or Day of Endless Light are fine examples of the power that the Death Metal scene is proud of. Especially, the latter song introduces some MORBID ANGEL influences in the guitar riff breaks and the headbanging rhythms. Duststorm is an audio proof that DAATH are in constant movement and try to evolve and enrich their sound; this instrumental track features some enticing electronic sounds that really enhance the evil and dark atmosphere.
All in all, DAATH stand up to the standards they established with the previous album. Their music belongs to the Death Metal scene with several branches that make the 'package' more interesting. You have to remember that if you are not familiar to this genre then be prepared (and a little bit patient) to add a couple of CD spins more to enjoy 100% percent The Concealers. You can take an initial taste by watching the The Worthless video below.
The Worthless