The North American Death Metal scene evolved from a mix between early Thrash Metal (before the canon of the genre on February 1986, when METALLICA released "Master of Puppets", the album that became the blueprint of how the genre would sound in the future) with North American Hardcore elements (especially the first albums of  D.R.I. and C.O.C.). That's the difference from other Death Metal schools. And things became even more personal when SUFFOCATION laid the basis for Brutal Death Metal. And the North American quartet PATHOLOGY, eviscerating from San Diego, California, comes to show that its members learned important lessons about musical personality, as can be heard on "The Everlasting Plague", their latest release.

Brutal, nasty and using abusive low grunts, their work is really massive and oppress the fans until their very bones. But along a good technical insight (but not overloading their music with such aspect, because it's not what they're up to), very good harmonic/melodic parts from the guitars enriches their work and creates contrasts that the band uses in a wise form. And be prepared to have your necks destroyed! The quartet brought for the second time the producer Zack Ohren (the same one who worked on their previous album, "Reborn to Kill"), who not only produced the album, but made the engineering, mixing and mastering as well. And he captured the band's idea to create a nasty and oppressive sonority, but in a way that anyone can understand what's being played without troubles. And the artwork for the cover, done by the hands of Pär Olofsson, is really amazing, expressing what the band says on its lyrics (as homework for you, try to catch the band's ideas).

Although it's nothing original (many bands used the same musical approach before), the quartet shows personality and a very good work, especially during musical onslaughts as "A Pound of Flesh" (excellent melodic guitar arrangements contrasting with the classic speed and brutality of the genre), "Engaging in Homicide" (a traditional Brutal Death Metal song with very good and simple arrangements, led by very good death growls), "Procession of Mangled Humans" (where some technical touches can be heard, and what great rhythmic contrasts created by bass guitar and drums), "Viciously Defiled" and "Submerged in Eviscerated Carnage" (both filled with very good catchy parts from the guitars that makes the head moves alone), "Corrosive Cranial Affliction" (where some modern elements from early Gothenburg Death Metal appear), "Dirge for the Infected" and the expressive instrumental song "Decomposition of Millions" (here the fans will have the clear idea of the richness of the band's instrumental arrangements).

For now, PATHOLOGY deserves praise for making such good album that "The Everlasting Plague" is, but the fans can expect even more of the quartet in the future.