Every band in every genre has a particular way of doing things that sets them apart from others and gives them a musical edge. Of course there are those who fall flat too, but in a world where youth are becoming more empowered to pick up their instruments and produce quality Metal, each act needs to have something that sets them apart from the other.

In the case of HUMILIATION, a Malaysian Death Metal five-piece, their niche is simplicity. It's what they have been known for among their fans and critics, who have seen their simple riffing reach maximum potential with their classics such as "Minefields (A Way to Kill)", and "Bukit Kepong" - which exploited the opportunities simplicity offered by incorporating killer power and impactful rhythm in their execution of all the riffs.

The last I heard from HUMILIATION was at their eclectic and powerful 20-minute slot at KL MetalCamp, a local Metal festival. I remember how the crowd went wild as the band sloshed through each chuggish song, killed every riff and growl, and summoned the most primeval, aggressive natures of their audience - all through the power of simple metal riffs expounded to result in brutality and true headbanging fests.

This isn't a new style, and HUMILIATION has shown throughout the years to be heavily inspired by bands such as ASPHYX, BOLT THROWER, and GOREFEST, all proponents of what I call the "simple-riffing-heavy-everything" style, with a penchant for neck-snapping breakdowns.

With their latest release, a work of art in its own in a string of diligently-released EPs and albums, HUMILIATION continues to wear their old-school Death Metal fascination proudly on their sleeves. As a War Metal act, their subject matter doesn't get stale after a few songs like it does with other acts, mainly because of the steady progression of each song and the hypnotic rhythm and riffing that has become HUMILIATION'S signature sound.

To elaborate on that signature sound, it is certainly what BOLT THROWER would sound like if they thrived in rawness and in a very garage environment, with more straightforward musical objectives. HUMILITION delivers a hammering of the senses with very rich tones and melodies that invoke nostalgia - in essence, it's a rhythmically-meaty record, with guitars, drums, bass, and vocals all grinding away at the mechanisms of Death Metal tirelessly.

However, with simple riffing comes the creeping threat of repetition, and at times, some songs certainly did seem too emulative of one another. But despite this, I remained engaged, perhaps already confounded by their hypnotic rhythm and steady musicality - drifting further at an almost Doom Metal pace, spiked with the intensity of old school Death Metal.

HUMILIATION is certainly another band within the Malaysian scene that is as prolific and brutal as their Western counterparts - proving with each album release that the only disadvantage they have lies with a lack of opportunities. As underground as they are, it is this kind of determination that will propel a band to a main stage one day, and I am counting on that. The band can continue to grow in terms of creative riffs and bringing more impact with each individual instrument, vocals included, and this rawness and potential will only continue to do good for a band that is as focused, aggressive, and determined as HUMILIATION is.