AFFLICTION GATE – Dying Alone EP
- by Matt Coe
- Posted on 20-01-2016
French death metal group Affliction Gate prefer the shorter EP format through the years – as since their start in 2006, "Dying Alone" is their third EP against one full-length "Aeon of Nox (From Darkness Comes Liberation)" in 2009. All the better to assault the senses and bulldoze through an old school style that has a lot of Unleashed/ Massacre spirit and Bolt Thrower-like sensibility.
Lead guitarist Bobby prefers to set a mood in sparse, carefully selected instrumental spots to make "Negative Lucidity" that much more evil. As a vocalist Herostratos has a clear, semi-growling nature that keeps "Devising Our Own Chains" and the blasting "Manicheism Inertia" chugging along like tanks ready to roll over anything standing in their path. Certain fading in and out moments (the intro moments to the title track a perfect example) add a lot of anticipation and tension to the proceedings – Affliction Gate proving they know their late 80’s / early 90’s death metal influences and pay respect to the style without merely copying and pasting from their heroes’ discographies.
17 minutes that can be a constant airplay requirement when raw speed and the power of death metal comes calling.
www.facebook.com/afflictiongate