DeathCollector - Times Up

From the depths of England and Ireland, DeathCollector arise from the mire with their debut EP. Planted firmly in the old-school style of death metal, it's a brutal, unnerving endeavour. Its lineup is enough to make heads turn, with past and present members of Bolt Thrower, Memoriam, Darkened, Zealot Cult, Severe Lacerations, Ashen Crown and Grimorte collaborating on this effort. Yet its eye-watering amount of musicality and flair makes it stands out from the crowd on its own merit.

Kieran Scott (vocals) explains that the album title is 'a comment about the fragility of life and how easy it’s taken away from you, irrelevant of how you struggle, when your ‘Time’s Up’, you’re done'.

Clockwise from top left: Andy Whale (drums) - Mick Carey (guitar) - Kieran Scott (vocals) - Lee Cummings (bass)

As the first, dread-fuelled notes of eponymous track 'DeathCollector' ring out, claustrophobic energy hangs in the air, remaining permanently over the course of the EP. It's a slower, doomy number to begin with, although gradually picks up in intensity, with Andy's double-bass drumming allowing a smooth transition into the more frenzied, aggressive section just after the 100-second mark. Although this is a debut offering, DeathCollector sound noticeably cohesive as a unit, with the riffing styles fitting the furious percussion like a glove. Lead single 'Internal Expansion' follows, with uncompromising, vicious guitar passages that really make you gurn. It's more aggressive than the song before it, whipping your neck into headbang heaven.

Mick adds flavour with a really tasteful guitar solo midway through. The atonal melodic phrasing and whammy bar squeals are ideal for the song, full of character without being needlessly flashy. At the front of the mix, Kieran's vocals truly do sound better than they ever have done up to this point in either of his bands. Plus, the punchy, direct and catchy songwriting on display makes for plenty to be impressed by here. 'Terrorizer', the EP's shortest song, rounds off proceedings with the audio equivalent of having your head mashed to a pulp. Arguably most memorable for its sludgy half-time sections and clever diminished guitar leads, DeathCollector do not tire out by the end of this EP's runtime by any means. Each song has its own character, whilst keeping an uninterrupted slew of brutality over every second.


DeathCollector's Times Up is a welcome and essential addition to the legacies of each bandmember here, no matter how long they may have been in the game individually. This experience is used to the band's advantage, with songcrafting that is intense and unforgiving - but crucially, very well-written. Many artists would be content to put out an effort as good as this several releases into a career, let alone as a debut.

More than three songs next time, please!

Blistering.
9/10

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MN

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