MASOCHIST is a brand new death metal band out of California, making their grand debut with EP "Chaos of World Possession". Consisting of two members (but now looking for a drummer, and a bassist, and a second guitarist) they are bringing a distinctly 90s style of death metal for the likes of CANNIBAL CORPSE and SUFFOCATION fans and pretty much everybody who likes classic death metal with shit production and unintelligible gutterals.

There isn't anything specifically new or inventive here, but if you're into the style goddamn does it deliver. Musically they bang the fucking door down. It's no doubt standard old school death, but they manage to keep it fresh and interesting, and stay away from derivative monotony. So many bands that try to keep it classic in this day and age fail rather spectacularly and it becomes boring and trite. MASOCHIST instead weaves in a lot of layering and intricacies to keep the blood flowing between songs.

The opener and title track keeps it fairly traditional all the way through. But then immediately after on "Reverse Vision" in certain moments the blistering death pace slows down into a very nice chug. It gives the song (and album) a lot of ebb and flow, which I always want. I can't stand unending droning, and MASHOCHIST stays away from that very well.

"Genocide" had fantastic riffage, and gave me some serious melodeath feels. But then right after "Xenophobia" is doomy and dark, totally villainous and wonderful. Then the closer (it's only a 6 track EP) "Last Gasp Of Empire" goes about in typical closer fashion a little all over the place (in a good way). Contrasting between highs and lows of the typical death drone, but then also finding cool chug moments and a lot of intricate guitar work, it's an ambitious and grand finish to the EP. I think the only song I didn't mention was "Imperial Spawn", a more typical death metal track much like the opener.

This album slaps and any fans of real old school death metal will love it. I highly recommend it, it's a solid debut and I hope these dudes find themselves a drummer, bassist, and second guitarist, and keep making good death metal.