Album Review: Demidead – “War Against Ourselves”

The Demidead, with their new album "War Against Ourselves", present a work brimming with drive, an album that's an artistic labour rather than just a collection of songs. Through a blend of groove metal and crossover thrash, the band depicts the battle with mental health, translating the inner struggle into an extreme, yet also cathartic, sonic environment.

A sense of anticipation and dread ushers the listener into the album's thematic core.

The album opens with the introductory "The Dawn of Our War". This atmospheric start creates a sense of anticipation and dread, ushering the listener into the album's thematic core. "Revelation Within" is the record's first proper track, an explosion of sturdy, groove-laden riffs with strong thrash influences and details that lend the composition a subtle epic tone. It's a song that grips you from the very first note, underlining Demidead's forceful entrance.

"Everything Burns" carries on with heavy riffs full of aggressive groove and an ominous atmosphere. The thrash is raw, teetering on the edge of speed, while the pervasive dissonance gives the track a character that never lets you relax, delivering that aforementioned ominous atmosphere. "Rorschach Test", on the other hand, adds a more melodic dimension, with elements that counterbalance the aggression and offer some clarity amid the chaos born of the frenzied drums that steal the show on this particular track.

Raw, unpolished sound with rabid energy

"52 Rise" and "Incarnation of Death" push hardcore influences to the fore, adding a raw, unpolished sound bursting with a rabid energy, and bringing out Demidead's crossover side as well. In between the two, "Pollution Eden" reinstates the melodic detail through a thrash/melo-death approach, which soon enough turns into a bomb that detonates in a terrifying breakdown.

The title track, "War Against Ourselves", combines all of the above influences, standing as a thematic pillar of the album. It is an ode to the clash with one's inner self, full of aggression but also of a reflective mood, while musically it expresses and condenses the album perfectly within a few minutes.

Now, in something of a surprise, "Only One Thing" arrives with elements influenced by the early '00s and almost nu leanings, yet the beautiful melodic lead guitar line is what makes this particular track stand out.

Last comes "When My Demons Overcome". The melody and the atmosphere here are more intense, while the heavy riffs remain at the centre. It's a track that gives a sense of deliverance through the post facets that take over from a certain point onwards, as if the band finds its peace after the battle.

In conclusion

"War Against Ourselves" is an album that proves Demidead's dynamism and range. With a flawless balance between aggression and melody, the album is an exploration of the human psyche, with sounds that challenge and ultimately redeem, and with a theme more timely than ever.