What is in Ohio’s water? The Buckeye state has been home recently to some amazing killer metal bands in recent years. Among them is Faithxtractor who have returned to the scene with their first album release since 2005. Their latest effort, Contempt for a Failed Dimension (Redefining Darkness), may be their most savage and brutal album to date full of hammering riffs, demonic vocals, and thunderous drums. This is some comfort food-level death metal. Nothing groundbreaking, just some heavy-ass sick music to satisfy even the darkest appetite. 

The opening track, ‘Vomiting Proclamation’ starts off quietly until you are suddenly hit on the head repeatedly with a storm of massively fast and furious riffs. The vocals are deep, sinister, and aggressive, definitely matching the intense fury of the song. 

Faithxtractor continues the satisfying, vicious assault with tracks like, ‘The Blood that Seethes’ and ‘On Every Breath’. While the band has a heavy focus on savage brutality, they add plenty of twists and turns to keep the music fresh and the songs from blending into one another. There are plenty of top-notch arrangements to be heard with plenty of tempo changes and some really unique solos that really stand out against the chaos. 

If you have been listening to extreme music for any number of years, you will really appreciate Faithxtractor’s ability to craft a brutal song that is both viscous and full of plenty of atmosphere. The production on this album is clean and on point so that your ears won’t miss a note of the brutality.

Contempt for a Failed Dimension is death metal made for fans of death metal. Riff upon riff of killer heavy metal fury that will keep your head banging. Sure, there is nothing new or groundbreaking here but why should there be? This is just pure death metal listening satisfaction. 

What more do you need? 

Buy the album here:

https://faithxtractor.bandcamp.com/album/contempt-for-a-failed-dimension

8 / 10

ANDREW RISCH