ALBUM REVIEW: Solium Fatalis – Genetically Engineered to Enslave

1. Threshold opens with some killer drums, groovy melodic riffs and just a brutal, modern Death Metal feel to it with tight punchy distortion and production. The vocals are really awesome and the surging rhythms of the song over destructive drums sounds killer. The Kataklysm like chorus’ are really well performed with some grinding vocals over pleasant riffs that seem to simplify the song a tad before going into madly swept guitar solos and some pretty impressive shredded scale runs too with plenty of soul to them. The heavy set riffs soon kick back in to finish the piece. Very nice opener and clearly tons of potential to this band, here’s hoping they keep it up.

2. Lake of Extinction follows in the last tracks brutal assault, packed with melody and dissonance and a very subtle blackened touch. The songwriting and atmospherics are both wonderful and the groove is just perfect. There is little change between riffs, they flow very nicely but seem to stay true to formula. Another pretty impressive piece of very punchy and tight Metal with little sonic imperfection. The ambient clean instrumental section was a really awesome touch too.

3. Servile blasts in with chugging riffs and plenty more double kicked drum mayhem. This really is reminiscent of Kataklysm, At The Gates and fellow similar bands. While I prefer Melodic Death Metal to be along the lines of Children of Bodom, Kalmah, Amon Amarth etc, this is really solid music with excellent production. The music isn’t overly ambitious to create something particularly unique but what it does, it excels at. The riffs are absolutely spectacular, the leads are stunning, the drums powerful and the vocals very brutal. Once more the ambient ending works really well, great stuff!

4. Synthon comes in with some more progressive sounding riffs and a newfound melodic glory, changing the feel of the music slightly. The vocals are absolutely glorious on this piece. The sort of Ex Deo like song structures and riffs sound really great and it’s nice to see a slight change in the formula. I really liked this track, it certainly adds a bit of diversity and a more laid back element to the album and will certainly accentuate the heavier parts even further.

5. A Gathering of Storms ft. Matt McGachy & Haydee Irizarry falls into place with some nice cleaner guitar atmospheres. The female vocals are an interesting touch and this piece certainly adds a different element which I think is what the album really needed. The hugely epic heavier parts come in with a slow drawn out and dismal quality to them, this is awesome. For me, this song stands out a mile as being the best so far. The bass guitar sounds absolutely perfect on this piece. The song has a really catchy crawling pace to it and some divine clean vocals from our guests, a really interesting touch indeed the works really excellently with the sounds given already.

6. Factor Red (Epidemic Cover) hits like a freight train with chugging riffs, killer drums and more howled and demonic vocals. This is such a tight cover with an absolutely gnarly melodeath sound. The screams are really atmospheric over some furious grooves and brilliant blasts. A really well chosen cover for the band, they slay this piece. Really impressive stuff.

7. Dysmorphic falls into play with more in your face assault from the whole band. With a pummelling consistency the band really follow their tight assault formula very well, the strength of each piece hitting pretty damn hard. This song has a more Decapitated feel to the riffs and drums which work really nicely, certainly headbang worthy. Really cool little guitar solo I must add. Great lyrics writing on this piece especially too.

8. Chemical Reagent has a much more unique feel with the clear riffs that somehow sort of get thrown at you with the heavier parts coming in soon afterwards. These guys have some absolutely incredibly talents and really good sense of how to give a song a damn punchy groove. The cleaner parts work really nicely with the bellowed screams of the front man really cutting through perfectly. Some of the best riffs of the album are definitely here, with a slightly detectable Gojira influence if I am not mistaken. Really enjoyably brutal breakdown that doesn’t overstay its welcome, very good track.

9. Fiery the Angels Fell ft. Phil Tougas comes in with more spacious feeling atmospherics and a less aggressive feel to it. The riffs once more are incredible with some really catatonically intense drumming going on, which has been present for the majority of the album. The upbeat assault soon blasts us into oblivion with more menacing songwriting and ridiculous tempos, very nicely done guys. The vocals are just perfectly hideous, the bass breaks through nicely and the guitars are perfectly technical without being obnoxious, the drummer however I am convinced he is inhuman with those skills. This is another of the far more standout and enjoyable songs for me. Great work guys, really impressive stuff, gorgeous guitar solo as well!

10. A Tongue to Taste the Collapse shows no sign at all of it being the last song of the album, taking the approach of squeezing in one last brutal and full on attack. The marching storm of the band is so crisp and punchy. Insanely impressive shredding with a Sylosis vibe is a wonderful touch to the track before dropping into more groovy chugs for one last attack. Really awesome closing track.

Firstly, if you like Melodic Death Metal with incredibly tight production and musicianship this is most probably perfect for you. It is groovy, tight and heavy as hell, while not being too far from the general Melodeath formula, it works really well and certainly packs a damn heavy punch. -7.5/10