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Dew-Scented: Issue VI

24/01/11 || InquisitorGeneralis

When I first heard that our resident webmaster and alcoholic chef/warehouse manager had deleted a huge ton of old reviews (probably in a fit of Flyleaf-induced schizophrenia) my vagina got a bit sandy. See, I quit the staff here for like three days which caused my old reviews to go into the dumpster. Boo hoo, like anyone reads this shit anyway. Here’s the silver lining to this fart cloud though; I can now cover old records by other deleted chumps that I feel deserved better treatment ‘round here. So, to get this new chapter in my life started I have picked one of my favorite records in any genre… the death/thrash masterpiece “Issue VI” by Germany’s own Dew-Scented.

If you hunger a record that is dry-aged, prime quality and brain-fuckingly brutal from front to back, “Issue VI” is what your need to order. Besides having a production that would make Mutt Lang, Bob Rock, that Morrisound dude, and Dan Swanö group masturbate around an old mixing board, “Issue VI” manages to infuse life and creativity into a genre that can be derivative as fuck. When people ask me to recommend a death/thrash record, I always pick this first. “Bled dry”, “Vortex”, “Conceptual end”, and “The prison of reason” are all perfect blends of thrashy riffs and tempos with death metal heaviness and grooves. The first seven fucking songs on here are ace. If the massively thrasharific breakdown in the middle of “Conceptual end” does not tickle your metalbone, especially when Leif Edling yells I came to praise the EEEEENNNNNDDDDD!!!!!!, you are a fucking pussy. Straight up. (Note by The Lord: Leif Edling? Good drugs there in IG Country, huh?)

“Processing life” opens “Issue VI” up with a precision, death metal beating. Immediately, you know the Dew is not fucking around. “Rituals of time” slows things down a bit and shows that Leif and the boys can harness the power of the groove just as well as the blast beat. “Turn to ash” is another groovier, simpler track and the tempo-changing riff that leads into the chorus is a fucking beast. Dew-Scented have always been able to infuse heavy, grinding, but not too complicated riffs into their crashin’, thrashin’ tunes. The strongest slice of the “Issue VI” poontang pie is the completely unfuckwithable middle section that starts with the brutal yet catchy duo “Ruins of hope” of “Out of the self”. The latter features some awesome, technical drumming courtesy of Uwe Werning. It is a serious fucking crime that Uwe is no longer in the band because he absolutely bitch slaps “Issue VI” like it owes him money. His footwork alone is insane.

“The prison of reason” brings things back to a slower, heavier pace and features zero blasting but still is an awesome tune. However, “Bled dry” manages to stand out even amongst its already excellent surroundings. Any song that kicks off with the singer yelling GO!!!! and is immediately followed by intense double bass drumming and a heavy as fuck groove is guaranteed to please. The breakdown and solo in the middle of “Bled dry” also rule the pool. It is the album’s heaviest and best song. Period. “In defeat” and “Never to return” are both good tracks but nothing in them really stands out. They are filler… damn fine filler though. “Vortex” however helps “Issue VI” finish strong with some more interesting tempos and time changes added to a more standard trash tone. The “Evil dead” cover song at the end is punky and cute, but I usually skip it.

I make no bones about, I love “Issue VI” and have been drooling over it since I first heard it five years ago. I will not, however, give it a perfect score because there are a few songs that qualify as filler. They don’t suck, but they are not up the quality of the rest of the album. A 10 has to be awesome all the way through and “Issue VI” is close, very very close… but misses by a cunt hair. This record is an absolute must fucken have for anyone who fancies themselves to be a fan of modern thrash and death metal. I know, I ride the Dew-Dick hard, but in this case I promise you that my fanboyness is well deserved.

9,5

Information
Released: 2005
Label: Nuclear Blast
Website: www.dew-scented.de
Band
Leif Jensen: vocals
Florian Müller: guitars
Hendrik Bache: guitars
Alexander Pahl: bass
Uwe Werning: drums

Tracklist
01. Processing Life
02. Rituals of Time
03. Turn to Ash
04. Ruins of Hope
05. Out of the Self
06. The Prison of Reason
07. Bled Dry
08. In Defeat
09. Never to Return
10. Vortex
11. Conceptual End
12. Evil Dead (Zeke Cover)

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