Arma Gathas - Dead to this World

TRACK LISTING

1.  Antagonist
2.  The Rise and Fall
3.  Losing Hope
4.  The Lies of Man
5.  The Damage Done
6.  Liberate Me
7.  Depopulation
8.  New Saviour
9.  Generation Doom
10.  Protagonist
11.  God's Wrath
12.  Constant Hunt for Blood
13.  Our Final Breath -
        Our Last Goodbye

Total playing time:  36:22

August 26, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Switzerland has entered the hardcore/thrash venue by way of Arma Gaths, who issues its first musical venture in Dead to this World via Metal Blade Records.

I have to say it’s a decent offering, even though it seems like a million bands are popping up now with the hardcore Hatebreed sound, leaving very little left to standout from the pack. The nice break in the generic spell here is the overt thrash tone that doesn’t travel a million miles an hour in a race to nowhere. You can actually decipher a true thrash blueprint as opposed to the typically hardcore mode that gets boring after three songs of the same repetitive tempo. For what it’s worth this album is much better than the rest of similar ilk.

What you get here is somewhat formulaic, yet interesting enough to shake up the system. I like the groove-metal feel that actually shows some initiative in making the music both violent and brutal, but retaining a well-constructed base throughout. I really enjoy “Depopulation” and the way it disassembles the comfortable niche you invariably carve for yourself when listening to the album; one moment you’re up and thrashing and the next your lulled unconditionally into the submissive safety of your mind’s design. Very few bands accomplish this to such a seemingly easy degree, making Arma Gathas a hardcore thrash substitute for the milieu of pedestrianism in this genre.

What I also like about Arma Gathas is they know precisely when to end the tracks before boredom sets in, another failed experiment with some hardcore bands. The longest track on the album clocks in at 5:13 (“Our Final Breath - Our Last Goodbye”), but the rest range anywhere from 1:11 to 3:20. In my experience with hardcore its best equated to a spilled glass of milk on the floor, where you watch it spread in the initial couple of seconds of shock and see it do its damage, only to quickly stop the spreading before unnecessary damage is done. For me this is the perfect analogy for punk and hardcore: spill the aggression quickly, let it do its intended damage, then get out and move on before anything peripheral gets damaged, in this case the impact of the song. Strange, detailed analogies aside, the music here is enjoyable and can entertain even the staunchest fans of the scene. 

Tracks of note are “God’s Wrath”, “Depopulation”, “Antagonist” and “Generation Doom”. Dead to this World is hardcore thrash at its best or most basic according to your personal taste, but it’s relevant enough to warrant your attention.  

Release Date: April 23, 2010
Label: Metal Blade Records

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