GODSKILL is a relatively new German band, founded in 2011, with the end of last year seeing the release of their debut EP entitled "History of Blessed Killings". Although the band labels their music as being old school Death Metal, in my opinion, the band has a very strong Core sound, with Death Metal perhaps taking the back seat as far as musical direction is concerned.

Starting off with very militant drumming that immediately captures your attention, "Based on Lies" is a blur of aggression intertwined with interesting guitar leads. Containing six tracks with a total playtime just shy of 25 minutes, "History of Blessed Killings" is a brief but dynamic release, with a good and clean sound quality. With extremely subtle Black Metal influences shining through in songs like "Rotting in Hell", other tracks such as "Ihr Werdet Brennen" show a more prominent Deathcore inspiration. Perhaps the song most in the vein of traditional Death Metal would be "To the Sun", the beginning of which is vaguely reminiscent of Polish masters VADER. Nevertheless, each of the tracks is decent: the riffs are simple but solid, the vocal style concrete, and the drumming and bass provide a stable backbone for the various tracks. What is however lacking is a uniqueness that sets the band apart from the slew of other good underground bands out there, which is a pity, as GODSKILL do have some potential.

Overall, "History of Blessed Killings" does not contribute anything new or innovative, but then again, considering that this is a debut, it really isn't a bad start. Moreover, seeing as the album is up for free download, you've got nothing to lose by giving them a listen.