I love a good breakdown. Who doesn't? And breakdowns are exactly what you get in this awesome album by five-piece Modern Metal band ID: EXORCIST. Hailing from Finland, the quintet put forth their second full-length album "Ungrateful Death", in all its malicious glory.

I found it no trouble at all to listen to this 9-track creation from beginning to end. It merges clean vocals with deep growls so perfectly, backed up with catchy guitar riffs and heavy drums. The vocals come in a variety, ranging from low growls to shouts and catchy clean vocals. The singer Jaako Mӓntymaa is certainly a talented fellow. Notable breakdowns can be found in the opening tack "Misery is Sick", the seventh track "The Ungrateful Dead" and the final track "Worm Food". My personal favourite is track 4, "Part II (Home)". It consists of a beautifully metal blend of clean and not-so-clean vocals. I'm not sure what its part two of, but I'm guessing part one is just as good. Hardcore savagery aside, the album is also rather inspiring. The eighth track, "Wear Your Blisters Proud", speaks of how the ugly others see in you may in fact reflect the ugly they refuse to see in themselves. So don't be ashamed, let your open wounds see the sun. Actually it may be best to at least put a plaster over them, so as to avoid infections and to not put people off. The music is diverse, particularly in the final track "Worm Food", which begins with soft guitar, and evolves into brutal heaviness just as the listener has settled down to relax. Even a haunting, soprano female voice can be heard in the background in the song's final minutes. I usually don't have the sufficient attention span for long songs, but this track is worth the seven minutes and thirty-six seconds it occupies. A lot of that time, however, consists of Worm Food" being repeated, over and over. The worms must be hungry. Someone should feed them.

I would definitely recommend this album, and although I haven't listened to any of their previous music, I'll certainly be seeking it out, and looking forward to what they put out in years to come. "Ungrateful Death" had my feet tapping and my head banging from beginning to end, and I'm glad this Finnish ensemble was brought to my attention.