Washington-based mash-up squad Black Breath take hardcore crustpunk and mix it with a dab of old-school death metal to create an entertaining sound of their own. It's something like Entombed meets Discharge, but in effect comes over as far more original. The band have a knack for infectious riffage, and there are few moments here that won't cause copious headbanging. Songwriting is top-notch, driving piledrivers of d-beat sound that crush all in their path for the most part, although like Asphyx (who I'd say are quite close to Black Breath in style if obviously less punky) there's a good deal of doom influence too, making itself known in the (relatively) slow and ominous Endless Corpse.
Slow moments are few and far between on the album, however, as the likes of Mother Abyss prove with its breakneck stomp. Of Flesh's chugging introduction is closer to Napalm Death than anything, whilst the thrashy riffing of The Flame has more than a little Slayer in its soul. There's not a great deal of variety on offer, but variety is hardly needed for an energetic crust album that's just over half an hour long. Ultimately Sentenced To Life is best summed up, as Tyler did in his review of Heavy Breathing, as heavy fucking metal, and good times aplenty.
There are 5 replies to this review. Last one on Sat Jan 12, 2013 7:58 pm
View and Post comments