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Images Of Violence: Degrade the shapeless

08/05/09 || Daemonomania

There are approximately 99,436 subgeners within death metal. I said approximately. Some make me want to frantically touch my penis (classic Swedish), some instantly induce chubbies (the hardworking Polish minions). Then there’s the subsubbasement bargain bin varieties that don’t induce any sort of below-the-belt reaction. I’d safely put most brutal death in the bonerless column.

And so it is with seemingly great flaccidity that I review Images of Violence, an Austin, Texas based band that worships with great fervor at the throne of “Pierced from within.” Do I actively dislike the band? Not at all. The individual members are good at what they do, but stay safely within the confines of their Suffocatingly small shoebox.

One thing Images of Violence have going for them is song length, which they feel should get them the “/grind” categorization. From what I can tell, however, short songs are not the only parameter used to define grind. Don’t forget, to be a purely grind band you also have to suck! Just kidding, of course. Maybe. Most of IOV’s tunes are in the 2:30 timezone, but that doesn’t mean they’re anything but death metal. Just shorter versions thereof. It’s like saying Tom Cruise is a leprechaun. Yes, all leprechauns are short, but not all leprechauns are hungry for publicity. In fact, to guard those pots of gold, the more kvlt you are the better.

Have I even really talked about Images of Violence’s music yet? Sorry, that’s what happens when you get drunk and start reviewing. The band competently pulls of the chugs, fast and mean double bass assaults, and head-down brutality. While they may not have had the dollars to hire Tue Madsen to produce and Marty Scorsese to direct, there’s a great feeling of honesty throughout. These dudes love brutal death metal – the vocalist does artwork for bands like Disgorge and Pyaemia. And honesty goes a long way. It makes you root for the underdog in a subgenre so filled to the brim with mediocrity as to make each new band that bubbles forth worthy of an immediate ignore.

So whether or not you completely dismiss brutal death as trend fodder, I’d recommend listening to tracks like “Mephitic possesor”, “Nocturnal visits”, or “Among the dead that seem living”. You won’t shit your pants with pure amazement at the fresh and insanely unique style the band brings, nor will you crown them as the new kings of their kiddie pool. But a charming dedication to their style shines through the mediocrity. And it is always good to have an album or two from every little niche of music so that you can competently argue with other music nerds over that niche’s inherent value. I still haven’t said much about their music, and realize I never intended to do so. Instead, I’ll just say they deserve a 6.5 out of 10 and your brief consideration.

Oh yeah, and they have a sample in here somewhere, perhaps before the title track, that sounds like a bunch of maggots chewing away at something. Nasty, and genuinely disturbing. Congrats on that. And the cover is pretty cool. The logo too. However, why degrade the shapeless? Fatties are much easier to insult.

Information
Released: 2006
Label: Ossuary Industries
Website: Images Of Violence MySpace
Band
Jon Zig: vocals
Steven Watkins: guitars, vocals
Mark Denton: bass
The Dobber: drums

Tracklist
01. Pernicious Desire
02. Nocturnal Visits
03. Cleanse The Impure
04. Degrade The Shapeless
05. Spread For Worship
06. Among The Dead That Seem Living
07. Mephitic Possessor
08. Perverse Caress
09. Tools of Severance

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