A work of art a decade in the making. Years of writing, rewriting, and noodling through ideas to arrive at what he has created. Matt Buller is Zathras, an insane death metal collective which has been his brainchild and has blossomed into the chaos magnet that it is today. Dawn Breaks is the first EP by Zathras, and it is to be heard as you read a play. Act after act.
Administering elements of composition from classical music as well as some other brutal death metal acts that have graced the Earth, Zathras lays it all down in hopes that this one release will redeem the effort put in. Though this is an assumption by a snobbish writer, it is safe to say that the album is more like a greatest hits than a debut.
Using a classical melody to open the can of guts that we will eventually hear, it is evident that the arrangement has been deliberated upon for several years. After the intro, we go directly into Brain Rot, a Nile/Cannibal Corpse like track, with precise riffing and layered instrumentals. The furious gutturals are something to hear, and the concept of alternating through blast beats and riff centered rhythms is spine chilling. Brain Rot is a superb opening track for what seems to be too short of an album, if your cranium is still attached to your neck.
Heading to murder sound
Crimson Bloodbath comes almost immediately in the footsteps of Brain Rot. It is sonic annhilation, with the same high tempo blast beat storm that you would expect after hearing the first song. The Karl Sanders style riff balances itself on tech and groove carefully, with the pace leading it to be a great hunk of gore and gravy that you would deserve. Insane precision on the tracks as well, the production seems to be making sure you hear the notes align.
With more of a Chuck Schuldiner style riff, the title track is played next. The drums are on point as well, all along the way, highlighted more due to the lower octave riffage. The breaks and bridge parts give enough breaks to not make it sound like a wall of deafening chaos, allowing you to appreciate the incisive riffs with razor sharp delivery and tonal perfection. The tone changes at 2:45 was more than welcome, with a beautiful bass solo following through to the guitar. Masterful work by Zathras.
The riff is paramount
Using a style from the closing riff of Dawn Breaks, Zathras proceeds to rock your sanity out with Fading. It is just as brutal in attack as the previous tracks. As it is known that the riff is too delicious to be smothered, it is introed alone so that you feel the entire brunt of it. The chorus groove is great for the drums to shine, with the controlled double bass making it worth it. The classical inspired melodic solo is allowed to dance amongst this turmoil, with the riffs during the closing seconds as inspired and energetic as you would expect it to be.
Guided by the sensibilities of the operatic realm, Misanthropic Mind continues right where Fading left off. It once again has the elastic riff bouncing off those dark notes we adore so much. The time change at 1:38 is especially exciting for a metalhead, the juxtaposition of the instruments working flawlessly. The solo is one of the best in the album, cascading through notes like its no big deal. The 200bpm anthems are just icing on top of the cake that is this album.
Short, but efficient. Aggressive, but melodic. The concept might not be new, but heralding something that has been worked on so long is nothing short of impressive. Zathras will continue to grow, well into the morning and live through the night. The project has transformed riffs and rhythm for catchier, more melodic riffs in the death world. Which quite honestly, was becoming repetitive. This is a breath of stale, rancid air (keeping with the theme). Zathras is a sound to behold, and an artist to admire. Stay tuned for more, for only dawn has broken through till now.
Listen to Dawn Breaks here:
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Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
