I’ve mentioned it frequently on here that Luxembourgish bands very often operate on a much different schedule than any other country, because almost a full decade after their debut EP, Pathfinder, Inhuman Rampage have decided to grace us with their second release. This time around it is a full-fledged album, accurately titled Savage. I’ve had the opportunity to get quite a few listens in already ahead of time, so let’s dive in!
First off, you’ll notice that the quintet has changed its sound a bit and has decided to mostly move away from deathcore, into a more technical death metal direction. This decision can be felt in the songwriting which feels a lot more diversified than on its predecessor. While there is still the occasional chugging, the riffs err on the technical side most of the time. As an example: to me, every song after the title track has at least one riff that stood out to me.
The drums can only be described as a constant assault on the ears, and I mean that as a compliment. I very rarely had the feeling that they dropped under 200 BPM and when one blast beat ended, the next one took its place. This is not to say that it’s an endless barrage of fast playing, because there is a fair share of groove as well.
The vocals also see a fairly major addition in the form of clean singing, which on my very first listen took me out because I was simply not expecting it at all. But on every subsequent time I pressed play, I appreciated them more and more. They add a completely new layer to these fifty-one minutes that makes the songs they’re used on, stand out. But I can’t forget to mention the overall improvement to the vocals, especially the growls, that took place over these past ten years! Definitely another great metal vocalist that can be added to the list of Luxembourgish singers.
My only criticism with these ten tracks, is that at times they felt unnecessarily long: almost every song exceeds the five minute mark and I’m willing to bet that a minute shaved off of the majority of them would have made the album a tad more dynamic. However, this does not deter from my overall enjoyment because the guys deliver exactly what they promise: pure savagery!
All in all, Inhuman Rampage managed to exceed all my expectations and then some! Savage is an album that has something in petto for all types of fans of (modern) metal and I highly recommend give it a listen. For more information, be sure to head to the band’s Facebook page and keep your eyes peeled for the official release on February 23rd, which is also accompanied by a release show over at L’Entrepôt in Arlon!