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Neuraxis: Asylon
05/04/11 || InquisitorGeneralis
I’m not gonna lie to ya Internet friends; I was not sure what to expect from Canadian melotechdeathers Neuraxis’ newest release, “Asylon”. I did like “The Thin Line Between” but when I saw Neuraxis dropped 60% of the line-up from that record (these guys are getting into the Incantation category of former band members) I was worried what would come next would not sound like the Neuraxis I have slowly come to like over the years.
I was right.
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The new Neuraxis sounds better.
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How’d you like them dramatic apples, son?
Well, pluck my ass and call me baldy, “Asylon” is pretty damn sweet. If you are expecting a cerebral mindfuck like “Trilateral Progression” you may be a bit disappointed because Neuraxis has definitely toned the insanity down a bit in favor of heavier grooves and slower tempos. Still, there are plenty of technical moments and blast beatings to satisfy your craving for brutality. “V” definitely sounds like something from an earlier release. All of this is nuts to me because the main factors that have always prevented me from becoming completely BROmantically involved with Neuraxis is their overuse of extreme and discordant sections. I like the more death-oriented, darker Neuraxis quite a bit. Just listen to Asylum and you will see that Neuraxis is getting out of the high-speed left lane. Let me put this in more understandable terms using fellow Quebecois Gorguts as a reference point; “Asylon” is much more “Erosion of Sanity” than “Obscura”.
The rhythm section is solid, especially new drummer Olivier Beaudoin; not to be confused with new bassist Olivier Pinard. Also, the corpse of Sir Lawrence Olivier does guest vocals on “Reptile”. Beaudoin’s playing is not as hectic as previous Neuraxis skinsmen, but he certainly knows how to lay down some Yyrkoon-style heaviness. The blasts on here are fast but not overwhelming, something that was a problem on other Neuraxis albums, especially “Trilateral Progression”. I think another reason for the more successful, simple sound on “Asylon” is the presence of only one guitarist; long time axeman Robin Milley. Ironically enough, not one original fucker from the band’s first album is still around. Anyway, Milley Cyrus does a solid job on here tossing in a variation of heavy, thrashy, and even some grindy riffs. He really stands out on “Purity”, “Trauma”, and “Asylum”.
Some final details; “Asylon” has a better, cleaner production than “The Thin Line Between” and might be the best sounding Neuraxis record yet. One thing that does not match up though is the cover art, which pales in comparison to the two previous ones. Minor details here though, because the music is ace. There is a consistent level of quality throughout with the previously mentioned tracks as well as “Savior and destroyer” and “Left to devour” all kicking ass.
Lack of variety keeps the score here grounded at a solo ocho. So does the repetitive style of Alex LeBlanc’s vocals. Still, this is a damn fine death metal record and a huge surprise considering the band is 50% new and there is a distinctly different sound to most of the record. “Asylon” is still seriously fucking metal, but much more restrained than Neuraxis’ previous work. This might cause some vaginas to weep, but not mine. My lady flower is all kinds of tickled after repeated listens to “ASSlyon”. I recommend this for fans of Neuraxis first, because you should be able to appreciate what they are going for here even if it is not as batshit crazy as their other albums. Also, if you dig The Faceless, Gorguts, Necrophagist, or any other band that mixes up technicality, melody, and brutality than you should definitely give “Asylon” a spin.
- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Prosthetic Records
- Website: Neuraxis MySpace
- Band
- Alex LeBlanc: vocals
- Robin Milley: guitars
- Olivier Pinard: bass
- Olivier Beaudoin: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Reptile
- 02. Asylum
- 03. Savior & Destroyer
- 04. By the Flesh
- 05. Sinister
- 06. Trauma
- 07. Resilience
- 08. Purity
- 09. V
- 10. Left to Devour
