Review: “Formations of a World Below” by This Is Endless

London Death Metal quintet This Is Endless are made up of members of Ted Maul, Dripback, Dead Beyond Buried and Onlsaught. Blending elements and ideolgies of Hardcore into their Death Metal frenzy, whilst never forgetting the undercurrent of groove in Hardcore of their roots, paid homage to the genre with the appearance of none other than Biohazard guitarist Bobby Hambel on their 2016 EP “Inherit The Sin“. Using imagery that crafts a malevolent Clive Barker inspired Universe with the influences of the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation and Carcass, the band recorded “Formations of a World Below” with the legendary Russ Russel (Napalm Death, At The Gates, Evile), looking to create the perfect blend of Death Metal, Grind and Hardcore…

…a slow burn atmospheric that sounds like a calling from beyond the grave in a Robert Rodriguez film bursts into the flame of a rampaging Death Metal onslaught with “Skin Cyst“, a cut with the underlying groove of Metallic Hardcore and the gut punch of Stampin’ Ground. Throwing gang chants into the mix alongside Hardcore breakdowns in Death Metal guitar tones builds the intensity while maintaining a sense of gravity. “Insect” then rips out of the traps like a Greyhound sensing a Rabbits blood, a rampaging groove underpinning everything while bursts of Blast Beats bringing that Suffocation feel. The roar of the old school sound in “Creature of Habit” is immense while depicting us as slaves to the flesh in apocalyptic cannibal Zombie style. The sound that originated in the 80s and thrived through the 90s despite Nu-Metal has been modernised and taken to a new level with a clean and crisp drum sound. “The Damned and The Weak” also owes something to Black Metal with some moments that burn the flesh from the bone wrapped inside the constant head bang that just makes you want to move and push someone else into the circle pit throughout. Taking that essence and building on it, “Back To The Soil” bringing a battering ram of primal concrete slab riffs before some arty dark spoken word and throw your fist in the air gang chants. It’s a powerhouse cut on a record that generates enough electricity to fuel the African continent for a decade.

Splitting the record into two with the eerie haunting atmospheric piece that is “Social Decay“, an unsettling piece of instrumental that sounds like it’s cut from a science fiction horror film soundscape acts as a pallette cleansing moment before the pummelling rhythmic battery return of “Imprinted In Life“. Plenty of controlled squeals in the guitar work give the track an off kilter feel in the opening before the Blast Beats take hold. The breakdowns are ugly and savage with that gurning grin inducing headbang feel from the very start and the way that the styles have been combined is highly impressive. “Into The Hive” takes the horror lyrical themes to a new level while providing some brutal twists and turns. The tempo shift for the final verse breakdown at almost Downtempo speed is jaw droppingly good. “As I Suffocate” turns up and amplifies the sense of mental anguish that appears on some of the earlier tracks with plenty of US Death Metal influence taken into creating its groove laden riffs. No joke, this track could have appeared on “New American Gospel” by Lamb Of God and no one would have batted an eyelid. It’s that good. The kit work is metronomic in the Chris Adler sense while the riffs just ooze Groove infused Death Metal class [8/10]

Track listing

1. Skin Cyst
2. Insect
3. Creature of Habit
4. The Damned and the Weak
5. Back To The Soil
6. Social Decay
7. Imprinted In Life
8. Into The Hive
9. As I Suffocate

“Formations of a World Below” by This Is Endless is out 14th August via Endless Records