By and large, the metal underground is known for being exceptionally intense above all else. The material that tends to be too much for a mass audience but nevertheless consistently able to gain a following no matter how small, the underground has long been a bastion for those that seek to push things to another level. Recently, however, we live in an age where people are flocking towards acts that are constantly reaching for new heights with heaviness and brutality no matter what form it comes in. Mastiff is no stranger to that concept with their run thus far absolutely something that demands to be hailed as one testament after another of undeniable immensity. With their latest creation, that trend is only continued.
At some point, bands can begin to transcend their sound and become something that simply cannot be likened to much else throughout the different scenes. Whether you become eclectic and unpredictable like acts such as Inter Arma or putting forth a sound that is well and truly yours like Howls of Ebb did, there is always something to be said for those that dare to do something different, seek it out to the finish line, and execute it all with deadly precision. Mastiff has been a tremendous example of just that with all that they've delivered within "Deprecipice" something that simply cannot be defied for how dense and unapologetically homicidal it is right from the beginning. Do not let the massive hooks and surprising riffs fool you, for it is at every given moment that the clearly hardcore-leaning sound that Mastiff is going for here is well and truly out for your blood with very little able to stand in its way. While many rose from the global pandemic seeking hope, it's clear that Mastiff saw no light, salvation, or any semblance of freedom as the restrictions lifted, and you can feel that torture, the despair, and the crushing, harrowing rage at not being able to heal with the very core of "Deprecipice" seeming to writhe at the very notion of not being able to come back to what was before. It's gargantuan and an absolute beast in every sense, yet at the core remains pain and denied hope with Mastiff pulling off the themes through ultimate blunt force trauma to terrific effect.
Incredibly few are able to come even close to what Mastiff has wrought with these ten works of undeniable intensity. Even as we find ourselves in an underground realm that is more than capable of constantly seeking heavier sounds with all the flair and power to match, there's nothing that can compare to when a band comes around that channels their personal suffering through such raw emotions to ensure that their music isn't just sonically intense but something that we can all associate with on every level. There is a ton to unpack within the madness of "Deprecipice" and it's not so much a matter of where to start, but finding out how to not let yourself succumb to the chaos once it takes you.
LISTEN to "Deprecipice" on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Mastiff on Facebook here.
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