Originally formed in Venezuela in 2015 before relocating to Spain, Death Metal quartet BURIAL RUTHLESS came up with their debut full-length album, “Held By Evil”. The line-up of Víctor Figueroa on vocals, guitars (lead), Sergio Ortiz on guitars (rhythm), Héctor Lavid on drums and Helios Ferrer on bass, is coming alive again with this full fledged offering, after years of small productions, EPs and singles. And their playing style can put smile on the face of fans of NECROPHAGIST, OBSCURA, VADER, DECAPITATED and KRISIUN. This 11 track record unfolds as a conceptual journey driven by themes of corruption, oppression, psychological collapse and the destruction of human identity. From the moment the music hits, the intro to ‘Demons Within’, ‘Conditioned For The Womb’, ‘Mutilated Mind’ and ‘Sweat In My Blood’, will give the ample indications about what they tried to forge here. Musically the record is structured with intention of delivering a sound that combines blistering technical precision with aggressive Death Metal. The intro is comprised of synths, violins, some choirs and marching drums behind them. And up next as the music hits, the band unleashes palm muted chugs and tremolo picked riffs before putting in fast quick fire harmonies and sweep pickings to make things bewildering. The rumbling basslines and fatal drum lines added more fuels to the fire within these numbers. These demonstrated brutally in tracks like ‘Demons Within’ and ‘Mutilated Mind’, comprised of savage riffs, crushing rhythmic shifts and emotionally destructive passages. Another standout track ‘Groove, Plastic And Antropophagist’, features some progressive breakdowns and a fanatic guitar solo boasting incredible shredding and tappings. Throughout the record the integration of atmospheric transitions and some creepy synths grant the dense brutality some room to breathe, which finely matches the tone of the stirring cover art. While the overall production sounds kind off polished, it yet beholds an organic and aggressive character, that solidly fused into the tracks. On the other hand, across the record some unexpected acoustic or passages with clean vocals are infused, that occasionally feel out of place during transitions. This can be a let off while listening and can detract ears from fully appreciating this solid debut effort. To find out more about the band and label, visit www.facebook.com/burialruthless, www.facebook.com/greatdanerecords.