Deathrite - Flames Licking Fever

Band:	Deathrite
Album:	Flames Licking Fever
Style:	Grindcore
Release date:	October 18, 2024
A review by:	F3ynman

01. Crippled Ego
02. Restless Eyes
03. Flames Licking Fever
04. Misanthropic Rush
05. A Slave To A Poisoned Soul
06. Bottomless Graves
07. Deadbeat
08. The End Is Tonight
09. Gallows Trail
10. All Consuming Fire

Currently labeled on Metal Storm as grindcore, self-described on their Bandcamp page as a mix of black, death, and noise punk, the German band Deathrite proudly play a genre-unspecific style of metal. So, if you’re like me and enjoy bands that don’t conform to a specific music category, then you’re in for a treat.

The music of Deathrite is based on a foundational bedrock of groovy, punk rhythm. Applied on top are layers of unnerving, tremelo-picked riffs and a rugged, raspy vocal delivery. An overall grimy production completes the black metal tone, while the occasional, unsettling lead guitar tunes keep listeners continuously on their toes. This “black ‘n’ roll” style sounds very similar to Devil Master’s approach on Ecstasies Of Never Ending Night.

On Deathrite’s Flames Licking Fever, all songs sound very similar, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand, this allows the album to flow very smoothly from one song to another, as one barely notices where one song ends and another begins, if one isn’t paying too close attention. On the other hand, a similar song structure and consistent style can also run the risk of sounding monotonous after a while. The saving grace is that the second half of the album is arguably stronger than the first half, with songs like “Bottomless Graves” and “Deadbeat” presenting especially gnarly riffs that invoke hellish sensations, sending chills down my spine as I bob my head to the groove. Overall, I’d say the clear standout songs for me are the two longest songs, each over 6 minutes in length: “A Slave To A Poisoned Soul” and the concluding “All Consuming Fire”. Both exhibit melancholic guitar solos that add a grand, epic feeling to the otherwise rampaging attitude of the rest of the album.

So, in conclusion, despite being a very consistent sounding album, Flames Licking Fever has a lot to offer: catchy rhythm, chilling black metal melodies, aggressive vocals, and even grandiose guitar solos. Whether you want to interpret this genre-blending approach as playing black metal in a catchy way or playing punk rock through an extreme metal filter, it’s undeniable that Deathrite have created a very fun listening experience that I can definitely recommend.