### Decapitated: The negation

#### 19/08/11 || Global Domination

Tag-team review by The Duff and Daemomnomania.

Note by The Duff: All original awesome left unaltered, exept I had to corect Daemo the Retardo’s spelling ocassionaly.

Intro by The Duff: Well, you may have heard about the recent clearing of reviews and such from the database, works accredited to authors long departed. There’s been some bitching. Lucky for me then that one review taken down is my favorite album from my favorite sub-genre. Unlucky for me is that long time staff member Daemonomania is leaving the site, I think the longest serving staffer were it not for my greatness and only member who can match my wit word for word, pound for pound. We figured, seeing as I can never understand bands like Grave and he bands like Defeated Sanity, we’d meet t’upon this battlefield of common ground and wrestle our minds in heated, mutual bliss for one of if not the most important Polish death metal bands.

Daemonomania: Let’s start off by settling two quick issues – Defeated Sanity sucks cheetah dick, and Grave continues to create the greatest music ever sans the time when Roy Orbison illicitly penetrated Patsy Cline and the two of them sung out their mutual pleasure in rising tones of warbling joy. Second issue is that Vader are clearly more important than DeCap in the history of Polish death, but for this one brief moment the students did truly teach their teacher some teachery.

Jimmy the Dump: This album is the perfect blend of tech, brutal, groove, chug and darkness – they mastered the shit here, no doubt. The production is so crispy it makes Daemo’s crabs taste like soggy biscuits. What say you about the production Daemo?

DeCaffinated: They certainly did get upsold on the projob here. Given the cold, clinical evil outer space feeling they’re going for, it works. This is the production that comes to mind when I think about modern death metal. Some might call it sterile. Some may BE sterile.

Cum Duffster: So whatstabout the riffs? “The Fury” is the perfect example of death metal, Slayer and Vogg-groove that has made the band a staple to the sub-genre. Solos that rip with precision and taste, howling like an elephant’s deathcry; then there’s the neo-Polish touch in the pre-chorus that brings the groove, and then the chorus riff is pure headbang, adrenaline, Slayer and the perfect use of build and release. Anything to say about this absolutely fantastic opener? The follow-up I’m going to assume is your number one track off the album too, yes?

DaePrepSchoolFated: No way duder, the champion ov riffs struts forth in THE MOTHAFUCKEN EMPTY SUMBITCH OF A THRONE SLUTZ, right around the chorus section. Headbang euphoria. But there’s plenty of great riffery throughout including the opener and just about everything in between. Voggster has this very precise method of riffing that brings to mind the Hoffman brothers, but then he goes ahead and turns the damn deal upside down with chaotic wheedle wheedle solos. My only complaint about the guitar work is really a complaint about the songwriting each section seems to be used in the exact same portions twice in each song.

Duffling Wid Da Layday’s Flesh-Truffle: That’s bullshit, fucko. First track opens with a riff unheard of throughout the rest, then two leads. Matey, I’m not doing this if you’re going to talk out of your ugly fucking face. Leads break up the monotony. THE AWESOME OF THE MUSIC BREAKS UP THE MONOTONY! I agree with Vogg’s interesting riffing style – standard but with an added zest, an extra element that brings the groove and the catchy so more potently. The leads are the best in the business – feel and phrasing; Vogg says de novo, but if the “Three Dimensional Defect” lead was written on the spot, my favourite solo of all time, then it’s time to break out the marmalade I’ma ‘bout ta have me some candey! I… Songwriting to me is flawless, compact. Then the breakdown to “Lying and Weak”, brother you tell me you haven’t got marmalade in your cock and mouth now! Title track, haha, how the fuck do you write a riff like that and make it sound so damn appropriate, ominous? The guy reached his peak on this album, the Vitek/Vogg team of destruction unstoppable here, a deadly mix of chaos and rhythm.

DeConstipated Non-Prose of an Elderly Gent in a Penal Institution: Say what you want man, there’s a bit of cut ‘n paste taking place here. Or maybe just oft-repeated choruses. Not that I mind, of course. After all, I do listen to Grave. Another nitpickery is that dumb instrumental track. Why bands feel they need to incorporate these is beyond me – duders already had more Pole atmosphere than a stage at a topless bar. That may or may not have been a good joke. But the time to stop hatin’ on a near perfect piece of extra dimensional blasting. Would you like to start us out in pouring out a 40 oz. of reviewer malt liquor for Vitek, sir?

danDrUFF: Yes, agreed; I thought the man still hadn’t found his footing on “Nihility”, but here is when he started to become one of the most promising drummers of the scene. Not quite the majesty witnessed on “Organic Hallucinosis”, but the drums sound great, real natural on “The Negation”, and the skills are rendered determinedly. As for the instrumental, I think it introduces the title track quite nicely, and Decapitated have often floundered some when going beyond six tracks to an album – I honestly think although not necessary, it still belongs. And now we come to the unsung hero that is Martin. Dude was a quiet cat, but live the guy could keep it together during the most intense headbanging sessions. What do you think to his performance here? Seems a step down from “Nihility” for me, seems to have gone for something more straightforward; then the songs demand it so..

DaeJent: What does he play, piano? Just kidding. While I’m sure Martin is a cool dude who scrapes piles of giant-boobed Eastern European blonde sluts off his chode with a butter knife every morning, I can’t hear much bass on “The negation”. Just writing the name of this disc reminds me of a blazed conversation me and IG had about the Decap album titles and where we thought they would go next post “Nihility” and this here effort. “The Null Set”. “Nothing and Even Less”. “Nein”. “Nega-not-never-gonna-happen”. “We’re Serious Really There is Nothing At All Nor Will There Ever Be…SERIOUSLY.”

Duffapitated: So I guess nothing left on the band members’ individual performances other than the vocals; Sauron to me fits the clinical style of the music just aces, but to some he’s a monotonous growler, nothing more. Follow with your concluding note and we’ll wrap this up, no?

Daelapidated: Sauron. A dude with strikingly silvery hair. A dude with a strikingly average growl. Oh what a difference a high growler for juxtaposition would have made. But you know what? Nobody since has really done it for me, which is a big reason why I haven’t found much to like on OH (sure, ok, “Day 69” and “Post Whorganic”) and prolly won’t get the new one either. I guess not having Sauron’s giant fiery eye in the background signifies a transition into djenty adventures. But me, I like death metal. Say what you want, but Boron’s low tones were DM to the core. I miss you, ye one-note grunter. Nice job on “The empty porcelain throne”.

Dufferkareyoo?: Okay, so what are the standout moments to this disc? I haven’t mentioned the two ripping closers; no frills. The “Spheres of Madness” track of the record “Three Dimensional Defect” – any views? Great rhythm; plodding, quite a swing to it. Vogg took the power-chord slide in the Polish vein to a whole new level; another great example being the aforementioned breakdown to “Lying and Weak”, then the slow grind of “Sensual Sickness”. What makes this album for you stick out the most? Me, it’s the fact there is no filler whatsoever, the length of under 30 minutes is spot-on, measured ferocity, and then there’s the variety.

SLURPaDUMPfromAcan: I too enjoy pretty much every track – “The fury” kicks things off with some heads-down assaulting and hating you and hating yourself, there’s plenty of slow punches meted out along the way, the title track has a groove to end all tech-grooves, and of course as I’ve said about 28 times “The empty throne” absolutely kills. They do a nice cover of Deicide’s “Lunatic…”, but the original’s crazy vibe gets lost in the more dour Polish translation. So yes. All good tracks. And short. The greatest albums have fewer than ten tracks, but more than five. There could be exceptions to that rule.

YourMom’sMouthDuffProtestTooMuch: There are many. I… er… let’s try and end this on a good note. The quintessential Decap album? Probably not – that award goes to “Nihility”, but probably my favorite of theirs and if not “Pierced From Within” then my favorite death metal record. Yeah you could say it isn’t all too original, but it’s the quality of the music that will stand the test of time – a faultless record, clear production, deadly tone, every riff a winner, musicianship never overbearing but just technical enough, just through-and-through fantastic heavy metal. Final thoughts Daemomonfrere?

Daeparted: I ain’t much of a “Nihility” guy, so this for me will be ze One when it comes to Decapitated. I also wouldn’t put it in my top 5 DM albums of all time, but hey, you’re more of a brutalitech dude than I. But there’s no doubt it comes in number one in my sub-list entitled. Greatest Post-2000 Polish Death Metal Albums Featuring a Monotone Singer Named After A Lord of the Rings Character. This is the lineup and the sound that will always come to mind when I think of a young band who had great potential. Some truly badass and awesome stuff. Hails and pierogis all around.

- Information
- Released: 2004
- Label: Earache
- Website: www.decapitatedband.net
- Band
- Sauron: vocals
- Vogg: guitars
- Martin: bass
- Vitek: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. The Fury
- 02. Three-Dimensional Defect
- 03. Lying and Weak
- 04. Sensual Sickness
- 05. The Calling
- 06. The Negation
- 07. Long-Desired Dementia
- 08. The Empty Throne