Thinking about Metal genre-tags reminds me of the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." When you pay too much attention to the "perception" about certain kinds of bands/genres of music, you are likely to miss out on some great music. This has been my problem with the various -core styles, as I've had trouble getting past the aesthetic, as well as the way some people (especially fans of old-school bands) talk about them. You'd think just about all -core Metal music is garbage. UNDERMINE THE SUPREMACY, a band from Australia, would probably beg to differ.

The big difference maker is the thought behind each composition, as "Ashes," the group's debut EP, includes far fewer breakdowns than you might expect from a Deathcore band. But more than that, the breakdowns that are included have some substance to them, and never really fall into the monotony of empty, down-tuned, percussive strums that plague so many lesser bands. The riffs are thick and muscular, and the band places a strong emphasis on melody. The battering title track does a nice job juxtaposing the melodic chorus lead with the machine -like riff that follows early in the song, while the sinister vibe of "Razor Tongue" is established with the high-register, tremolo-picked licks that accompany the main riffs through the first half of the song.

Other bands of a similar ilk attempt to get by with an almost obviously fake air of intensity, but that simply isn't the case here; UNDERMINE THE SUPREMACY play big, loud, aggressive music, and their heaviness is completely legit. "Chokehold" keeps things rolling with its gritty riffing, and Anthony Sowter shows off a pretty good Randy Blythe impression, roaring with ferocity and conviction. "Predatory Parasite" is another strong offering and one of the more memorable songs on the album. For an album built on negativity and anger in its sound, "Ashes" is fairly catchy as far as Extreme Metal goes. Closing track "Avert Your Eyes" isn't quite as gripping as the preceding track, but it still wraps things up rather nicely, with an added dose of fury injected from the guest vocals of Matt Young from KING PARROT.

I'm not quite ready to jump on the Deathcore bandwagon just yet, but I think I know a good band when I see one. UNDERMINE THE SUPREMACY unleash riff after bruising riff in a melodic, heavy, and well-written effort that should help establish themselves as a band to look out for in the future.<