Time for more quality metal from the west coast of Australia readers. If you're familiar with some of WA's more prolific and better bands you'll probably be aware of Scourge, Vespers Decent, Black Steel and Plague (to name a few) and also know just how much excellent material WA has produced. 'Bloodline' is the result of a decade of hard work, gigging and growing immensely as a band for Pathogen who have been a familiar name with WA metalheads since the mid 1990s thanks to a couple of demo releases and plenty of live shows including some big-name international supports. Finally, the moment fans have been waiting for...
The most instantaneous impression you'll get when you first listen to 'Bloodline' is that the production has had a lot of effort poured into it. The music is crisp, heavy and impacting. Following the untitled intro track, 'Identity Theft' kicks off and ensures the album gets off to a very powerful start. The opener is without a doubt also one of the stronger songs on the album and was a wise choice to be released as a free MP3 for the band to promote the album.
Following the great beginning comes another near-hour of quality Melodic Death Metal that sounds like it could have come from just about anywhere in the world. Plenty of signature sounds shine through from double-bass-powered chunky riff sections to chugging symmetrical beats perfect for banging head to, to melodic riffing atop growling vocals, not to mention the slew of seamlessly implemented acoustic moments that really made this style of music popular in the early-to-mid 1990s.
Pathogen have successfully mixed acoustic moments akin to earlier In Flames material (with hints of Opethian flavours) with a myriad of Modern/Melodic Death Metal influences, delivering what is ultimately a very, very strong debut. Strong production, strong songs, strong result. Although there is a shortage of brilliant musical moments of truly memorable riffs, what 'Bloodline' lacks in truly awesome instances, it makes up for in consistence and solidity. Highly recommended for Melodic Death Metal fans.
- Pyro
(See reviewer's scoring method)
