I think Brazil has graced the underground with some of the biggest and greatest bands ever. Their history of Extreme Metal, especially in the decade of the ’80s, is unparalleled. Personally, I think that one of the traits that defined that era of Brazilian Extreme Metal is the huge amount of uncontrolled savagery. This meant that even some of the best bands sometimes tend to sound careless in their approach. Now, the ’90s and the early 2000s were not that exciting, but Brazil kept that quality bar held high. And a new generation of bands picked up where all the classic bands left off, bringing more professionalism and seriousness to their craft. Enter ESCARNIUM, active since 2008, playing a tremendously heavy type of Death Metal. Upon first listen to their latest album “Dysthymia”, I was both shocked and impressed. Shocked because of the different sound they have (compared to their countrymates) and shocked because of these guys’ absolute devotion to their music. I haven’t heard their previous material (two full lengths, two EPs, two splits and a demo), but I look forward to doing so (the compilation “Godless Shrine Of Decay” is highly recommened in this respect – Frank). Just for an added reference, the closest comparison I can come up with for “Dysthymia” is a modern version of “Cross The Styx” and “False” blended together. The songwriting here is brilliant, mixing a lot of variations and a constant feeling of unexpectedness, so to speak, that I really liked. Drummer Nestor’s performance is great. His double kicks and fills are surgical, even at the devilish high speed he reaches from time to time. But he also let the songs breathe when needed. Bass player Vitor manages to fill in both roles: a solid rhythm section for Nestor’s drum sorcery and a superb match for Vitor’s insane riffing. Six songs, clocking minutes short of half an hour, of memorable riffs, neck breaking segments, deep growling vocals and a suffocating atmosphere that fits the music perfectly. The production is top notch. The mix is clear with every element firmly attached to one another. Yet, the dynamics are there, making the heavy parts heavier and the fast parts faster. This makes the album sound huge, yet controlled and tight; although a little compressed for my taste. Maybe the mastering could’ve been less stiff, but that is just an irrelevant detail when it comes down to the monster of an album that “Dysthymia” is. Oh, and I almost forgot: that GRAVE cover song (‘Into The Grave’) may be the best I’ve heard. It comes so close to the original it is scary. If you like Extreme and Death Metal, do yourself a favor and get this one now. A must buy! Support the band at www.facebook.com/escarnium. You can order this excellent album from their label Cianeto Discos: www.facebook.com/cianeto.discos.label