MASTER

The webbing of extreme metal subgenres has become as elaborate and over-the-top as the most exaggerated squiggly metal band logo one can think of. From the blackened death mania of CRUCIAMENTUM or GRAVE MIASMA to the sideways and crooked snapback hat slams of PEELINGFLESH, it all traces back to eighties era death metal pioneers like NECROPHAGIA, DEATH / MANTAS and, of course, MASTER. Ever since their 1985 demos, main man Paul Speckmann and company have been marching forward relentlessly with their tried-and-true death metal. Now, with "Among The Seeds Of Death" — album number 16 for those who are counting — MASTER keeps the flame burning with a satisfying slab of timeless death metal.

Originally kicking up dirt in the Windy City in 1983, Speckmann would relocate his life and the band to the Czech Republic in 1999, around the time he joined the Czech death metal powerhouse KRABATHOR where he and the band have been ever since. What has remained more or less static has been his tunnel vision for crafting punk-tinged death thrash that's steeped in the old ways of the eighties and early nineties. "Among The Seeds Of Death" continues along that desired trajectory without simply being more of the same. Sure, it's essentially meat 'n' potatoes old-school death metal, but the quality of the songwriting is top tier and there is an abundance of tasteful nuances scattered throughout. Speckmann's brief introductory bass solo on "Injustice and Lack of Remorse" is almost certainly an ode to METALLICA's Cliff Burton and his renowned bass solo on "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" from 1983's "Kill 'Em All".

The rest of the song is a beefy barrage that's ripe with fist-pumping moments and whiplash-inducing madness. Earlier, "Twas Always A Plan" kickstarts the album with Aleš Nejezchleba's tremolo-picking fracas and unyielding thrash beats courtesy of drummer Peter Bajči. Speckmann wraps the song up by ever so eloquently spouting, "Fuck off, you assholes. Fuck you!" Intentional crudeness aside, the frontman continues to pen thoughtful, anti-government sociopolitical diatribes throughout. In recent years he has dialed back his gruff, low-end death metal growl more toward a mid-ranged thrash vocal rasp that seems clearly inspired by VENOM's Cronos (RIP).

MASTER is invariably always going to be self-referential while touching upon their longstanding and obvious influences. Everything sounds vital and fresh because of the underlying passion and because of the quality in terms of songcraft. The title track, for instance, boasts an absolutely mesmerizing and addictive atypical guitar riff that will surely have more than a few listeners hitting repeat multiple times. MASTER don't seem to be running out of steam, and hopefully Speckmann and his cohorts will continue kicking and screaming for years to come.