Review: “Cover Compilation” by God Syndrome

A Melodic Death Metal act formed in Samara Russia in 2011, God Syndrome take influence from the Death Metal scenes in America, Sweden and Poland to create their sound which is highlighted as they pay tribute to their heroes with this covers EP. The band consists of Vocalist Pavel Bamburov, guitarist Sergey Aksenov, bassist Dmitry Kuznetsov and drummer Alexander Krut who are joined by Elena Feneva for “Cataclysm Children” as she adds keyboards and while the record is listed in some places as 2018, that reflects when the last song was recorded as the EP didn’t appear until May 2020.

The influence of Hypocrisy on God Syndrome has always been there to hear, particularly on their 2016 album “Controvese” but with their rendition of “Weed Out The Weak”, they raise the roof. Gothenburg sound esq bridge, Black Metal soaked blast beat sections and Bamburov’s pure Evil Death growls make this version nothing short of monsterous. “Cataclysm Children” by Dimmu Borgir is one that God Syndrome have performed live on numerous occasions and this rendition captures all of the primal power of the original with an onslaught of rampant riffs that just keep coming. The sound of the radio being tuned between stations and a clip from the original “Symphony of Destruction” by Megadeth at the start of this cover never gets old and as you might expect, God Syndrome turn a Thrash Metal anthem into a Death Metal one with murderous intent. Everything is so much heavier, from the rumbling of thunder from drum kit to the brutally heavy guitar tone but they capture the essence of the song at the same time and wipe the floor with the version that Arch Enemy did. Also benefiting from the Death Metal make over, “Dead Embryonic Cells” sounds so much bigger with the use of fresh production techniques and thunders along in the hands of God Syndrome. Bamburov doesn’t attempt to mimic any of the original vocalist on these tracks, which is how it should be, instead bringing his own bludgeoning tone to the table as the band unleash a quartet of headbangable Monsters. You could perhaps say that the band have played it safe with their choices, but these songs are done so well that they get away with it [9/10]

Track listing

1. Weed Out The Weak (Hypocrisy Cover)
2. Cataclysm Children (Dimmu Borgir Cover)
3. Symphony Of Destruction (Megadeth cover)
4. Dead Embryonic Cells (Sepultura Cover)

“Cover Compilation” by God Syndrome is out now and available over at bandcamp