Let's be honest — the band doesn't represent the top tier of brutal meat today, though it's not floundering in the second echelon either, it must be said. They're a solid middle-ground act with quite decent potential reserves in the form of several notable members (from DYING FETUS, M.O.D., All Will Fall, and Cast THE STONE). How well they manage to realize that potential can be judged from several mini-releases and two full-lengths (including this one). Brutal death metal filled with frenzied grindcore fury — this recipe won't impress anyone today. Yes, this music pushes the limits of the performers' musical capabilities and the listener's auditory endurance, but hundreds of projects around the world play this kind of thing today, and therefore, to stand out, you need at least a couple of distinguishing features. Everyone will decide for themselves whether the band has them, and what exactly they are. I'll serve as the voice of an objective viewpoint. MISERY INDEX are good, in my opinion, for two main reasons. First, the overall (and particularly guitar) sound is heavier than in standard death/grind. Second, there is a noticeable (if infrequent) and somewhat (if slight) deceleration of tempo. Perhaps not down to doom metal speeds, but it is precisely this "unhurriedness" combined with the aforementioned greater weight that allows me to give the release such a high rating. This is the band's second album, so let's wish them not to lose their best qualities by the third and to multiply them.
