Sharp and technical death metal with lethal riffs and crushing vocals to it is what the skilled and well-oiled murder machine that is Pesterous Mind offers. This 2019 offering of theirs entitled "Halluci.Nation" (notice the play on words there, folks) is akin to a raging storm that is hellbent on pulverizing everything and everyone that gets in its way, but fortunately, there is much more to this quartet than mere bombast and bone-crunching aggression.

Everything is tightly executed and things never really turn stale or rigid, and I dig the way in which each song walks that fine line between being cold and mechanical on the one hand and yet strangely groovy on the other. The dark and ominous aura is as thick as tar and the compositions are cleverly arranged and loaded with surprising twists and turns. Pesterous Mind’s rather modern take on death metal involves quite a lot of metalcore traits and elements, but somehow these guys make it work and bridge that gap between the two genres nicely. Heaps of black- and thrash metal influences are also woven into the overall sound and presentation of "Halluci.Nation", which is cool. My only real problem with this record is that two or three tracks tend to sound a bit same-y, which results in them blending together and not really standing out or carrying any distinctive marks and features as such. In other words, there are a couple of slightly faceless cuts where the album runs the risk of sounding a tad monotonous. Then again, why the fuck am I bitching about that when the other nine or ten pieces are wicked?

The bleak and claustrophobic combo of "The Legend of…" and "…The Ashen One" is definitely one of the highlights, which also goes for the hellishly intense "Mirror and Condemnation", but the most accomplished and downright insane songs that well and truly show what Pesterous Mind is capable of are "Your God Failed" and the moody album closer "Forsaken", so make sure you check those out if this opus sounds interesting to your ears.

 

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