Swiss death metallers REQUIEM are back from a 7 year break to release their latest full length effort "Global Resistance Rising," out March 23^rd via FDA Records. The band managed to keep quite busy before their long hiatus, releasing 5 full lengths between 2003 and 2011. With this veteran presence and a refreshing break under their belts, the expectation of "Global Resistance Rising" should be an energetic and modern death metal effort that brings something new to the genre. Is this what we get?

To a large extent, yes. The album is laced with absolutely devastating riffs: the kind that have you headbanging without even thinking about it. They bring a bass filled and dark presence to their hooks, with an escalating tension in each track pushed forward by an unrelenting drum performance. It's exciting, heavy, and fantastic to hear from these veterans.

The disappointing bit? The production value wasn't all it could be, it lacked the crisp and layered feel that has become the expectation with modern metal. The vocals in particular are shallow and hollow, I would have loved more layer and texture here, especially with how well they are performed. The guitars do also tend to get a bit fuzzy and drowned out. That being said, it was not terrible, only a minor setback against an exceptionally written album.

It's almost impossible to choose a standout track: this album is an ensemble effort of one exceptional song after another. That being said, choice moments for me included the first three tracks "For the Blind to See," "Lockdown," and "DeEvolution." The album is kicked off to a furious start, with "Lockdown" being the anchor. A dark and impossibly chugging riff drives the main hook, the vocals are dark and powerful, it's an absolute banger.

Track 5 "No Quarter Given" also brings the groove and chunk which I love, but the back half of the album finds a generally thrashier approach laced with quicker, more complex and aggressive guitar work. We also see tons of variety in song length, with some tracks being just over a minute long. It makes for a varied and exciting listening experience, culminating in the furious and unforgiving closer "Fire in the Hole."

This album was an absolute home run and a phenomenal way to return from a 7-year hiatus. It will surely stamp it's mark on the death metal community in 2018. I highly recommend giving "Lockdown" a listen, it will be on repeat for me for weeks to come.