Year : 2019
Total Time: 43:51
Label: Relapse Records
GATECREEPER is a Death Metal band from Arizona of the United States. They were formed in 2013 with “Deserted” being their second full length album. Three years after their remarkable debut “Sonoran Depravation”, the Americans return to show us that they have improved and matured or, at least, they would like to. But let’s continue with the specific record and see what they have finally managed to do…
Even if GATECREEPER are Americans, they love the Swedish Death Metal scene as we know it from bands like ENTOMBED, CARNAGE, GOD MACABRE etc., sound that is the basis of their music. They also have influences from OBITUARY and Doom Metal. The record starts in mid tempo rhythms in the title track and the speed goes faster in “Puncture Wounds” that follows. We go on with the best composition of the album “From the Ashes”, which makes you press the “repeat” button again and again, with its massive rhythm and sick melody! In the two songs that follow (“Ruthless” and “Everlasting”), OBITUARY surely leave their mark on the musical approach and the vocals.
We have reached the halfway point of the album and so far GATECREEPER makes the surprise, as I did not expect “Deserted” being so good by offering us furious Death Metal with very good (but slower) compositions, comparing with their debut album. But everything they’ve built in the first half of the record, they unfortunately eliminate it in the next five songs that follow. Those compositions sound one-dimensional, moving along the same musical path with the previous ones, without having the same quality. The result is that the songs have a slow and predictable Death/Doom rhythm with some outbursts and no variety in speeds. “Deserted” at the end leaves a bitter taste as the expectations that created in the beginning were vanished. Also special reference should be made to the excellent and strong production and the beautiful cover.
Fans of the Swedish Death Metal will certainly temporarily be satisfied from “Deserted” but this will happen only for a few listenings. The ideal thing for GATECREEPER would be if they had kept the best songs of the album, releasing an EP! Now, the monotony that characterizes “Deserted”, the “borrowed” ideas and some filler songs degrade the overall result.
Rating: 6/10
Editor: Nikolaos Manousis
Related Link: GATECREEPER – Facebook Page
