EKTOMORF

After a decade of releasing albums and numerous European tours, it's nothing short of amazing that the best EKTOMORF can come up with on their seventh release is such a ridiculous ripoff of the Max Cavalera school of simpler-is-better mono-thrash. It's not a passing resemblance, it's not an occasional inflection — it sounds like this Hungarian quartet went into the studio and said "how much can we possibly steal from SOULFLY, even if it means getting our asses kicked for it?"

I suppose it could be a case of parallel development — I mean, who's to say a "third world posse" couldn't erupt in Hungary just as easily as in Brazil? But let's go down the checklist – we have heavily-accented vocals delivered in a Cavalera bellow. We have thudding two-note riffs and big tribal beats with occasional Latin percussion flourishes. We have the obligatory acoustic-guitar spooky world music sounding ethinc bit ("Who Can I Trust"). We have lyrics about oppression, overcoming enemies, and the like, and song titles written in the same font SOULFLY stole off the side of an incense box years ago. I mean, check them out: "We Rise"? "I'm Against"? "Chamunda"? Give me a fucking break.

With even the genuine article, the SOULFLY discography, becoming a bit redundant and stale, and the looming prospect of a Cavalera reunion in SEPULTURA at some point soon, who needs such a blatant ripoff? Start a cover band if you're that far up your idols' asses, but don't peddle your thinly-veiled tribute as something original or worth anyone else's time. Better yet, put those ten years of life experience to use and try developing a personality, instead of wearing someone else's like a second skin.