Spearhead

Decrowning the Irenarch

Invictus Productions 2008

Images of war machines belching forth fiery death come to mind when the relentless slaughter of Spearhead's second full length album rears its formidable yet brutally ugly head.  Tight and sharpened like an armory of death machines, Decrowning the Irenarch breaths the same air as other brutal and technical death metal bands such as Impiety, Krisiun, but mot notably Angelcorpse.  Comprised of rapid-fire drums, streamlined Morbid Angel riffing and venomous vocals, Britain's Spearhead incinerates the listener like the unquenchable appetite of an industrial crematorium.  They discard the more traditional heritage of the UK's death metal past (Bolt Thrower, Benediction, etc.) in favor of a more American style.  The title track with its blistering riffing and constant barrage of snare and bass drums is a maelstrom of maliciousness similar to Angelcorpse.  I hear some subtle Kreator references to go along with the light-speed drumming insanity on When the Pillars Fall.  Swirling guitar solos and hammering beats on Mors Triumphalis call to mind Krisiun at their most invigorating.  Aftermath closes the album out as a calmer, more introspective piece.  A sort of reflection after the harsh realities of the battlefield.  The production on Decrowning the Irenarch shows much improvement over their debut though for me the drums are a little over produced especially with the bass drum triggers.  Spearhead is merciless modern death metal that opts for inhuman killing effectiveness rather than over-technical showmanship for showmanship's sake.  In this day and age where too many death metal bands are either swamped in brutal gore or are unlistenable due to their vain attempts at musical gymnastics, it is comforting to hear Spearhead cut loose with a musical arsenal that is both skillfully crafted and malevolently devastating.