This is a debut MCD by a band hailing from the Sunshine State and whose members are not old enough to drink under the stringent US regulations. Florida and young…where have we heard that before? Oh yeah. Florida Death Metal of the 80s, young, eager, pissed off and brutal. 'Into the moat' fit this bill quite well except they don't play good ole crunching death. They play a highly technical mix of tech/prog metal mixed with Death Metal. They are obviously highly influenced by 'Dillinger Escape Plan', their influence is felt in the sound of the instruments as well as the quirky song structures and buildup. At no point does 'Into The Moat' come across as a derivative though.
The songs all over the place and the music goes in directions one would have never thought possible. Despite the chaotic sound and seemingly haphazard construction the band manages to created tracks that are in fact well focused and coherent after a more careful listen. The technical prowess is obvious, the intelligent riff construction is obvious, and the eagerness is obvious. A little to obvious perhaps. Occasionally a bridge or a riff seems a little out of place and comes across as if it's there to 'show off' rather than actually serve as a constructive part of the song. But who am I to criticize? The guys are in their teens and know how to strum them guitars, why the hell wouldn't they show off? As I have said the music is all over the place, high crescendos, tempo changes, brutal signature death metal sections, thanks be to their foresight they have also managed to place a few 'resting points' on the tracks allowing you to compose your thoughts and be prepared for the next wave.
I think that in future 'Into the moat' have great potential. They already have the skills and have exposed their obvious creativity. With a little more focus, I believe those guys have what it takes to pull off a classic record that will set the standard for tech metal. For now they have made a more than decent start that beats 80% of what's out there on originality, talent and expression. Thumbs up!
note: 8/10
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