Album & EP Reviews

END – The Sin of Human Frailty

END – The Sin of Human Frailty
Closed Casket Activities
Release Date: 27/10/2023
Running Time: 30:00
Review by Rory Bentley 
9/10

The members of END aren’t too keen on the term ‘supergroup’ despite hailing from a variety of well-established Metal and Hardcore day jobs such as Fit For An Autopsy, Counterparts and Shai Hulud. So let us instead refer to them as an alliance of bastards, The Avengers of horrible noisy cunts if you will. Their 2020 debut “Splinters From An Ever Changing Face” was met with unanimous critical praise across the board and was easily one of my top albums of that year. It was a flawless exercise in audio violence that was as thrillingly devastating as Noise-influenced Metallic Hardcore gets. A sonic brew of filth that defies categorisation, drawing from the ugliest aspects of multiple Heavy and Extreme sub genres to create 30 minutes of mutated sonic terror that felt like being ripped apart by a ‘roided-up silverback gorilla that you’ve just kicked in the balls.

“The Sin of Human Frailty” sees the band pick things up where they left off while adding in a few new elements and textures here and there. At first things feel very similar to the debut, which is no bad thing. ‘A Predator Yourself’ is disgustingly heavy and nasty, erupting into life with squalling feedback, stabbed angular panic chords and demented vocals, leaving no room to breathe or get acclimated to things. Acacia Strain drummer Matt Guglielmo batters the kit like it stole something and Will Putney is in typically imperious form both in front of and behind the producer’s chair, capturing a grimy, chaotic racket that somehow still allows the listener to discern every individual instrument.

Less frenetic, but just as filthy, ‘Gaping Wounds of Earth’ sacrifices tempo for terror, with sludgy staccato riffs that weave in and out of the mix like Helmet channelling Nails. That is until the blast beats and screeching chords are unleashed once more. Not to be outdone, the title track then one-ups the opening one-two with even more aggression, chaos, intensity and utter filth. The chugging beatdown at the end is delivered with such venom and brutality I can’t see anyone’s instrument surviving these recording sessions intact. If a member of END is selling their gear on Facebook Marketplace, you’d be advised to steer well clear, because I guarantee it’s been chucked around like a seal that’s been caught by an orca.

Considering the brevity of END’s previous effort, if the whole record had carried on in this manner I’d have been perfectly happy. More of the same isn’t as much of an issue when what you’ve been served up before is such succulent depravity, however there is growth on here. Nothing closely resembling respite from the total audio carnage the band unleash, but definitely growth and variety. ‘Thaw’ featuring Heriot’s Debbie Gough is the kind of twisted electronica you’d expect from Aphex Twin, pulsing along with glitchy menace and some bone-chilling clean vocals. Not that the injection of melody provides any kind of relief from the album’s march towards complete and utter destruction of the listener. The closest things come to being accessible is perhaps when ‘Twice Devoured Kill’ brings in an element of groove to the table. It’s still face-breakingly heavy and H.R. from Pig Destroyer rocks up to screech all over an already oppressive sonic canvas, but you can kind of nod along to it and forget about the blood pouring from your ears for a second.

When a band releases an album that essentially perfects what they set out to do with the first attempt, the follow up is more often than not a difficult proposition to pull off. The fact that this record is of comparable quality to its seminal predecessor while still bringing in new ideas cannot be seen as anything less than a total triumph. Also don’t listen to this when you’re hungover. It will ruin your day.

TRACKLISTING:
01. A Predator Yourself
02. Gaping Wounds of Earth
03. The Sin of Human Frailty
04. Thaw
05. Embodiment of Grief
06. Twice Devoured Kill
07. Worthless is The Lamb
08. Hollow Urn
09. Infest
10. Leper

LINE-UP:
Will Putney – guitar
Brendan Murphy – vocals
Gregory Thomas – gutiar
Jay Pepito – bass
Matt Guglielmo – drums

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rory Bentley and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.