EXHUMINATION is a death metal band from Indonesia who formed in 2008. Their latest album, “Master's Personae,” is their fourth full-length; they have also released two splits. This album is unbridled chaos disguised as music. It truly captures the powerfully extreme intensity that made death metal so infamous. The production is raw and there isn't any other way this album could sound–it feeds off itself, offering relentless primal energy. But it isn't raw and brutal for the sake of it. This is actually a smartly written album that offers far more variety than ones would think. Blackened and thrashy elements are incorporated throughout the songs, offering a large number of frenzied bursts of audible assault. It also isn't afraid to be melodic, when called upon. But the melody is just another twisted part of their deadly game—one which consists of no guarantees except total annihilation. The album does have an interlude and outro; I don't think these work as well as the other songs. They aren't bad but they kill some of the momentum. With that being said, the remaining eight songs straight up kill.

The band is adept at creating urgency on demand, such as the opening seconds of the first song, “In Death Vortex.” The song is all rising action, extreme to near impossible levels. The death thrash groove as the seconds close in on the halfway mark is infectious but the crazy curveball of a guitar solo shakes the song up, making it seems even more off balanced and deranged. “Chaos Feasting” throws the music to the sharks, the bass and drums ripping up the turbulent waters while the guitars and vocals begin the biting. The first half of the song is devilish with its vicious bouts of speed and tight riffs. After the halfway mark, the song slows down a bit to let the chaos breathe. The rest of the song could be described as atmospheric but without losing any luster or dangerous intent. “Thine Inmost Curse,” begins the opposite; it's crawling intro grows steadily into a brutal attack force, the bass and drums offering a whiplash rhythm section that hits like lighting as the thunderous riffs ring out. The last minute or so a dizzying display of death metal mastery.

The unique lead guitar peppers “Thy Mighty Locution” with odd tones and flavors but steer the song into a hell of a drop, lead by the bass. The final moments offering the surprising of a clean section. “Mahapralaya,” rides high on huge waves of groove and a bought of drumming that is encompassing enough to be living entity. Near the end the song takes on a sort of tribal flavor that works wonders against the primal screams. All in all, EXHUMINATION 's “Master's Persona” is an album that breaks back the danger and volatile atmosphere of death metal.