"If you don't live for something, you die for nothing" that's fricking deep, and that's pretty much the message ONCE WAS NEVER is delivering with their lyrics on their debut full length release "The Great Dying", out to the unsuspecting public in May of 2022. Hailing from Slovenia and Italy. The deathcore quintet formed in 2012 hits brutely hard with their furious blast beats, haunting guttural vocals and just as brutal with their philosophical songs aimed at humanity, mental health and political corruption plaguing modern society. Influenced by their musical hero's GOJIRA, SLIPKNOT and PANTERA, but incorporating their own unique style. Looks like Death Metal has yet another new kid on the block (really, really sorry for that boy band reference). Not being a big fan of this musical genre, as always, I will jump into this review with an open mind and no pre-conceived judgements. I am fascinated by the potential of this band and can't wait to dig deep into the lyrics and (quoting Kramer from Seinfeld) "Blow my Mind"

The adventure begins with the opening track "Just a Number", strong, riveting edgy riffs and bombastic drums give way to what sounds like an unrecognizable witch doctor chanting with gut wrenching howls of, maybe a human, maybe an animal?  Pure, undeniable death/doom metal on "Heartless", pounding riffs and blasting drums melted together with skin crawling growls. My ears are already giving me dirty looks, but we press on to "State of Mind", attacking guitars filled with rage and angst mixed with brutely growling screams, but wait.... a strange chanting chorus of dark, edgy, and sinister sounds complete this tapestry of bone-rattling noise. "Slaves to the Progress" bring vicious, dark vocals with a violent drum beat and over the speed limit guitar riffs. With my eardrums now bleeding, "Wreckages of the Past" opens with machine gun drumming and full throttle, incoherent vocals. At last, the final mind-numbing song on the album, and of course, it has to be the longest at 5:24. "Cycles of Rebirth" bring thrashing riffs at breakneck speed with dismantling growls and screams.

Well, that's 30:55 of my life I won't get back. I tried, I really tried to find some good in this gut-wrenching death metal, head exploding album. All the guitar riffs had the same similar repetitious feel and sound, the drums were pure speed and blasting, which I know is the modus operandi of death metal. Vocally? Wow, hard to digest, I felt I was on another planet. I may be a dinosaur when it comes to this genre, and please forgive me if you're a fan, but I like to hear and understand the words being sung, especially when the band has something to say. Now, having given all that negative critique, I did google the lyrics, because as I earlier stated, I could not understand a single word, but as promised from the bands press release, they are hard hitting, critical and blunt. I leave you with several of the more compelling lyrics.
"We're turning shit into gold, by overpassing our souls" - "The world is rotting within, by deflections of men" - "Suffocating me with sadness, trapped in the total madness" - "Are we livestock waiting to slaughter, together we suffer till we purge one another"