### Deathbound: Non compos mentis

#### 02/02/10 || Khlysty

“Non compos mentis” derives from the Latin non meaning “not”, compos meaning “having (command of)”, and mentis (genitive singular of mens), meaning “mind”. The phrase means “not of sound mind” and, although typically used in law, this term can also be used metaphorically or figuratively (from Wikipedia).

Basically, it means crazy. As in “batshit”, “loco”, “fruitier than a nutcake” etc. So, are those Finns crazy? Well, they seem to try to be. Do they succeed? Well, that’s debatable. But, even if they’re not crazy, their music me pretty mucho likes. Why? Because, while not exceptionally revolutionary or original, the guys deliver tha goodz in a very convincing and powerful manner.

But, hey, what are tha goodz I talked about earlier? Well, what I hear is a band that mixes, in a pretty straightforward way, elements of death metal and grindcore to create, not something that could be called by a name which ends with “–core”, but an acidity-and-venom-laden take on death metal. This means that we get meaty guitars, a very satisfactory low-end quota, drumming that’s pretty technical and fast, but that never goes into blastbeat-blur territory and manic, pissed-off growling-screaming vocals, talking about the ills of this here world.

Deathbound is a band that exists in one form or another since 1995. This means that the guys know their shit and they deliver their music with conviction and technicality, while never forgetting that they write songs and not just a succession of riffs that might or might not go together. Everything in “Non Compos Mentis” has great moshing potential and, while the songs are kept within the two-and-a-half-minutes length-frame, they never seem interchangeable or half-baked, but fully-formed blasts of aggression and brutality.

The production is pretty much ace, with my only complaint being that the vocals seem too upfront, sometimes burying the dementia of the guitarwork underneath. Look, as I said before, this is nothing that will turn the metal world on its head; but, for what it is –a pretty pro take on deathgrind-, it’s a good record with good songwriting and lots of venom and grit and sweat. Bottom line is, if you like the style –and I do- Deathbound can easily be one of your better choices and “Non Compos Mentis” won’t hurt your collection.

- Information
- Released: 2010
- Label: Dynamic Arts Records
- Website: Deathbound MySpace
- Band
- Kai Jaakola: vocals
- Sami Latva: drums
- Petri Seikkula: guitars

- Tracklist
- 01. I Hate Them Still
- 02. The Wave Called Misery
- 03. Free Shackles for Everyone
- 04. The Process of Destruction
- 05. A Better Tomorrow
- 06. A Reason for Your Fight
- 07. Hell Could Be the Cure
- 08. When the Seas Are Boiling
- 09. Strain
- 10. The Blues of a Dying Man
- 11. Death Comes For a Visit
- 12. Non Compos Mentis
- 13. The World Is But a Memory
- 14. A Need to Survive