Rage' is something that we have all faced at some point in our lives. Be it in an adversarial form or as an instinct from within, this incendiary energy has a way of pulling apart the airs of peace even amidst the most tranquil of existences. Nevertheless, for all its negative connotations the flames of anger also have in them the potential to act beyond the realm of malice, and in turn ignite a motivational force that can twist exasperation into greatness.

Many fall under the misconception that Metal, in all furious glory, is an agent of hostility. Yet in reality, that ferocity that blasts from your speakers as you play a Death Metal record and wreck havoc on the head of bystanders is not a thing of hate, but a fruitfully harvested power that simply aches to get outside. Of course, something like that is not easy to control, and attempts often turn to carnage, but on their debut effort "The Devil Speaks", the aptly-named Australian Death Metallers IN DEATH... manage to throw reigns on brutality and deliver a controlled manifestation of pure rage.

As "Malignancy Eradicated" opens up the record some might rush to write them off as yet another generic outfit with dreams of gore; however, the band's sound, whilst ticking off all the trademarks of the genre, manages to stand out in its efficiency and compositional pursuits. The opening track allows time for each instrument to be properly introduced and outlined before it dives into a riff-heavy, punchy Metal grit that draws the line somewhere between bonafide Death Metal and Deathcore whilst adding groovy elements of obligatory influences in the likes of PANTERA; the stylistic inclinations of the latter can be particularly noted on the slow, grinding, WHITECHAPEL-esque numbers like "The Pitfalls of Immortality" and "Every Burial".

Granted the record does lean more towards the modern "core" side of Death Metal, with the track "Godzilla" being a perfect example of this tendency, but it is evident that the band actually aim to deliver something more than just ground beef, for even though any major melodic directions are traded for grooves, there are instances - such as the formidable guitar work on "Bow To Your Master" and the progressive instrumental "The Devil Speaks" - where the band are reaching to achieve something memorable; even though the latter does feature a somewhat juvenile sampling of Al Pacino's infamous monologue from The Devil's Advocate".

Shooting the shit aside, I must say that the record is indeed quite solid. The production is good, with a fine mix to capture the brutish performances of the band, and the overall atmosphere, whilst expectantly abrasive, still manages to remain accessible.

Overall - let it rage. IN DEATH...'s first full-length effort is surprisingly mature and focused, and whilst "The Devil Speaks" may suffer from a lack of originality, it makes up for it with its driven attitude and grave ambition. So go ahead and put all that anger to good use as IN DEATH... have done here.