Vanity Draws Blood – “Perspective/Dread” [EP] [Album Review]

Although many groups in the death/metalcore scenes are quite content to regurgitate the same old breakdowns, the better bands in the genre are learning that there is so much more you can do with the sound than just rehash the same old shite. One obvious path to go down is the creepy/horror route and make your music as dark and sinister as possible. UK shredders Vanity Draws Blood are one of those bands who, on their new EP Perspective/Dread have effortlessly managed to marry heavy music with the sort of dark, heavy atmosphere that, if it was a movie, would leave you sleeping with the lights on, one eye open and creeped out to fuck.

Sure, it’s not an original idea by any means but, when done effectively as it is on the likes of “Exorcism”, groups like Vanity Draws Blood show that the end result can send a chill down your spine. The twisted blend of old-school death metal and modern techy ferocity sees Perspective/Dread, from start to finish, filled with the kind of sludgy, chuggy riffs that compliment the suffocating atmosphere created by the band making the end result a bleak, uncomfortable listen. Furthermore, as if they needed any help, the guys rope in former Thy Art Is Murder frontman CJ Mcmahon who lends his guttural bellow to “Anxiety”. Clearly, the UK maulers set the bar high quite early on with this statement of intent and, thankfully, they keep up this relentless brutality throughout.

The problem many extreme metal fans have with the modern take on their genre is it appears to be as much about the image as it does about the music. However, with bands like Black Tongue and Vanity Draws Blood producing horrific sounds like this, it’s comforting to know that the genre is still in (un)safe hands.

Perspective/Dread Track Listing:

01. Anxiety
02. Dread
03. Exorcism
04. Possession
05. J100

Run Time: 20:24
Release Date: July 15, 2016

Check out the track “Anxiety”