Past the unusual band name, the French outfit UPPER DECKER is all about brutal Death Metal. But they also know how to mix it with ironic and fun lyrical themes. Actually, I’ll leave that part to the listener. You may find a lot of conceptual and dark humor in there. So yes, brutal Death Metal with a twist may be a better way of describing their style. Let’s get into the music first. Vocalist Gaara mixes in some really low growls with wild high pitched screams and everything in between. His multi-dimensional approach to the songs keep things varied and interesting. Tral’s guitar riffs showcase palm muting, tremolo parts and heavy open chords combined with some tasty leads. Bassist Uwe manages to fulfill two different duties: first, providing a solid backbone to the plethora of riffs in each song and also supporting the band when the lead guitar kicks in. Last, but definitely not least is Le C (?) with amazing drum work. I really liked how he uses his double kick to highlight certain parts of the songs. But he also has a very intelligent way of playing, since he knows when to take a step back and let the other instruments and the vocals take front and center. Finally, these guys manage to combine Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Grindcore and even some neat groovy parts. In this style of music I have noticed that usually the production is too compressed, saturated and bricked. But “Family Dinner” feels dynamic and “open”. The distorted bass sound merges perfectly with the thick guitar tone. The drums may have a bit of sample sound replacement, but they still have that organic and energetic feel. The vocals are mixed perfectly, becoming an integral part of the rhythm instead of being on top of everything. And as a very welcomed feature, the mastering has a lot of headroom, even with all these things happening at once. “Family Dinner” has a certain late ’90s character (if such a thing exists. Well, in my head, it does haha). Clocking at 26 minutes, UPPER DECKER takes a step forward in a good direction with “Family Dinner”. I urge you to check them out. This is an amazing Extreme Metal release done the right way! Support the band here www.facebook.com/upperdecker11 and get their album here www.facebook.com/greatdanerecords