24th February 2024

Review: “Auditory Hallucinations” by Parasite Disciple

Jacksonville Florida is where Parasite Disciple spend most of their days as three former members of Cystic Dysentery join forces with one former member of Incinerate Creation as they prepare to play Brutal Death Metal in sweaty clubs, s**ty outhouses and damp basements across the US. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Stan Martell (Fall Of Envy, Grandpa’s Cough Medicine, Black Aura) as Martell AVP Audio Video Productions on Kingsland Georgia, their debut EP “Auditory Hallucinations” may just be the start of the bands journey but it’s created by seasoned veterans who wear their scars like tattoos. Guitarist Ben Davis is joined by vocalist Brian Fitzgerald, bassist Tim Church and drummer Zach Lindsey for this one…

If you hadn’t already guessed it “Pulpit of Perversion” is a classic piece of rage against the power of the Church, Martell nailing Lindsey’s drum sound perfectly to help give us something with that classic 90’s golden age of Death Metal nostalgia. Fitzgerald’s vocals are brutal but some throat scraping shriller moments help give this one a real killer instinct while a couple of guitar drop outs for Church’s bass to take the limelight are the absolute Chef’s kiss. Changing the direction of attack, “Genetically Altered” then offers up and unhealthy slab of Death Groove with blood gargling vocals and a glorious down tempo passage to keep things fresh on an otherwise fast and furious bludgeoning. Tastefully done it’s a Brutal Death Metal masterclass in the vein of Twitch Of The Death Nerve but with vocals that for the most part you can decipher without a magnifying glass ans a lyric sheet. “Propagation of Hate” then steps up to the plate with some killer stuccato riff infestations to accompany pile driving bass lines while the display of jack hammer footwork and blasting decimates the weak. Whether “Eaters of the Dead” is a reference to Zombie like behaviour or the work of a tongue lizard is neither here nor there because this restless and relentless tune is one designed to help you breathe more easily. The tempo changes are as swiftly executed as a kill from an assassin with slick transitions that are incredibly well thought out to create a genre tour de force. Powered by a whirlwind of percussive battery, this one is another class act of underground Death Metal from a band who know exactly what they’re doing while saving the title track for the final onslaught. You see the shadow approaching and you can predict what is going to happen as the knife rises and “Auditory Hallucinations” kicks into life but there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop the blood flowing from the artery at an alarming rate. Another savage slab of punishing riffage hits like a freight train, the dynamic gymnastics of the rhythmic attack a bloodstained joy to behold. A couple of cleverly worked false endings keep you on the edge of your seat, adding to the adrenaline rush of a record that makes it’s mark like a neutron bomb [7.5/10]

Track Listing