Japanese Death Metal legends, Defiled, Continue To Push Boundaries With “Altered State“
My introduction to Defiled begins with their 9th studio album; “Altered State”. Having cemented themselves into the Death Metal ethos, they defy the norm and evolve the genre into something that knows where it came from but isn’t afraid to go beyond.
From the moment I pressed play on this album, I was immediately thrown into what I can only describe as Death Metal chaos. “Dazed In Blindness” left me feeling that exact way as there were unexpected but welcome elements not found in the traditional sense of Death Metal. The odd time signature grooves used were definitely a standout. This, along with the tone of the guitars and the blast beats reminded me of something closer to Black Metal.
Flowing into the second track, which shares the same name as the album, “Altered State” continues to deliver on the intensity with punchy and catchy riffs accompanied by moments of rising tension, only to be broken by the Max Cavalera-esque growls of the vocalist, Shinichiro Hamada.
If I thought “Dazed In Blindness” left me reeling; then the third track, “Obsessed”, delivered the finishing blow in regards to the odd time signature grooves. Defiled made their influences very clear with this one, if they weren’t already known. A beautiful blend of prog and thrash metal.
“Holy hardcore!” was my first thought as soon as “Portal” started. I struggled to resist the urge to start two-stepping at my desk. Overwhelmed by the combination of Hardcore and Death Metal; “Portal” lived up to its’ namesake as it felt like it opened a rift and set a different dimensional tone for the rest of the album.
Yet another genre blend is showcased on “Necro-Force”, utilising a swing jazz feel in one section and beats reminiscent of surf rock in the other. I was amazed at how they managed to fit seamlessly into the structure of the song while not sounding out of place.
Returning to more traditional roots; “The Degradation” featured cymbal stabs in the intro with breaks further into the track that highlighted the talent of bass player, Takachika Nakajima. It Oozed exceptional brutality akin to “Hammer Smashed Face” by Cannibal Corpse.
Serving as the halfway point of the album, “Genocidal Stage” refused to me show any mercy as it relentlessly burst through my eardrums. This signified another tonal change moving more toward unbridled aggression compared to the earlier tracks.
The only way I could describe the second half of the album is to liken it to the grindcore genre due to short, violent riffs with notable examples being “Zombified”, which is my personal favourite, and “Lunatics” while detouring slightly back into the hardcore realm on “Demolition”.
Holding all of this insanity together is the production. A no-nonsense approach that keeps everything sounding raw and gritty which pays a fitting tribute to the band’s old-school roots.
Once the final track “Apocalyptic End” reached its’ end; I was left fiending for more of the nostalgic feelings bought upon by this album that initially made me fall in love with Death Metal in the first place.
Defiled have put their best foot forward on “Altered State”, delivering 14 tracks of incredible genre-defying ability and skill. Lyrically based on the Orwellian masterpiece “1984”, the album excelled at telling the story while making it relevant to our modern day society. This is one that may upset Death Metal purists but in the best way possible.
Editor’s Note: Drawing inspiration from Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, Altered State explores themes of surveillance, societal control, manipulation and the erosion of individuality. Defiled weave these dystopian concepts throughout the album’s lyrical framework, giving the record added depth beyond its relentless musical intensity.
