Born in 2010, British death metal outfit SUBSERVIENCE finally makes their debut Forest of the Impaled via Black Bow Records, after a demo, 3 EPs and having played stages like Download and Hammerfest. Their sound thrives around DEICIDE, lacing it with some Swedish old school (early AT THE GATES/ENTOMBED) and British (BOLT THROWER) influences. Brutal guitars, shattering drums and catchy groove welcome the listener with "In Depravity They Dwell": the first taste of their blasting beats will shatter your speakers. "Beneath the Earth" is next, with its mesmerizing drums line along with proper harsh vocals. "A Taste of Violence" and "Entity of Indifference" are the pivotal points of this LP: the first is a fast faced brutal attack, while the other a slower one, with Dan's guttural vocals slaying it, before leaving place for guitar solos in the end. "The Dying Light" beams things up a bit, showing a fresh, yet still in the mood of the album, melody.

"Desperation" adds black metal tremolo picking to the mix, although it doesn't seem to fully develop, leaving some bitter taste and incongruity in the album balance. "The Consummation" is another more melodic track, but fails to add anything memorable. "Descend into despair" tries some more experimentation adding keyboards, with in a harmless attempt. While these closing tracks seems a bit under the level of the rest of the album, this debut is all in all a good proof of both songwriting, passion and technical performance from all the members: twin vocals above all, followed by the heavy riffs unleashed by SUBSERVIENCE and a weighty and precise drum section. This release is working well under a production side, as it looks well-polished and smooth, at least until trying to step away from their ancestors and influences in the closing part of the album, where things seem a little shakier and unsure. It's definitely worth some spins and attention on the future of this band, young enough to have the potential to set some milestones in this genre.