LAY DOWN ROTTEN – “MASK OF MALICE”
METAL BLADE (2012)
Do not let anyone convince you that there is no power behind a band name because the fact of the matter is that there is! Take, for example, the Hessen based outfit Lay Down Rotten: I was well aware of their existence, but their name was so similar to that of so many modern Metalcore outfits that, not being a massive fan of this genre, I basically didn’t bother with them.
Then came the opportunity to write a review for “Mask Of Malice” – the band’s latest full length album. As soon as I consulted a good friend of mine who made it his task to enlighten me as to the error of my ways, I listened to these ten compositions, only to realise that the target audience here were people who like fast Thrash melodies and crunchy Death Metal riffs – people like me, that is!
One of the strongest attributes of this is a fairly varied musical palette, with inspiration seemingly drawn from many different places. There are tonnes of Thrash melodic leads, leaving a certain Stockholm whiff in their wake, while the numerous rhythmical groove-infused riffs upon which the majority of the compositions are based are as much indebted to the works of Bolt Thrower as to that of Amon Amarth.
Though the material on offer is quite enjoyable, the top compositions are all in the first half of the album which starts with the groovy mid-tempo riffs of “Death Chain”. Having enjoyed its Swedish sounding melodies and flamboyant solos, I was totally hooked on the immense drumming parts and head banging riffs of “A Darker Shade Of Hatred” – a song which I consider to be amongst the highlights of the album. Though the momentum was slightly lost by the inclusion of the forty nine second harmonic theme “Nightfall”, the band made its amends through the Amon Amarth inspired “Mask Of Malice” and the atmospheric “…And Out Come The Wolves”.
Just as I was thinking that although the material was not original, it was, however, quite masterfully arranged, that the band started to lose steam. “Swallow The Bitterness” may be slightly metalcore-y at parts (in the chorus) but its overall energy and catchy refrain brings things into balance, whereas both “Hades Resurrected” and “The Devil Grins”, though operating at different speeds, share their passion for groove.
The title of the highlight of the second part of the album belongs without any doubt to “La Serpenta Canta” as its up-tempo Thrash riff and twin melodic guitar solos are simply irresistible, while the fairly pleasant five minute “The Loss” succeeds in uniting these varied musical elements for one last time.
There are a number of people, my friend included, who claim that the band’s previous albums are far more powerful and exciting, something that I have no way of knowing as it is really through “Mask Of Malice” that I am finally being introduced to the works of this German outfit.
One thing I am in position to say, however, is that the ten compositions that Lay Down Rotten are presenting us with are the product of a band with a proper musical education, a very professional outlook and a pretty wide set of influences, so I would not be at all surprised if they get positive feedback from both the music media and fans of extreme Metal.
John Stefanis
Rating: ***1/2 (3.5/5.0)
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