Description

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EPIDEMIC: Exit Paradise

LONG OUT OF PRINT death metal CD ON METAL BLADE CD, US IMPORT.
Note: Hidden bonus Cover Version of OZZY Over the Mountain

Label: Metal Blade Records – 14040-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1994
Genre: Thrash, Death Metal
Tracklist:
1 Void 4:39
2 Vulture 3:27
3 Deaden 3:53
4 Lament 3:00
5 Exit Paradise 6:39
6 Institution Of Ignorance 4:17 Engineer – Jonatan Burnside*
7 Section 3:23
8 Everlasting Lie 3:56
9 Written In Blood – 3:22
10 To Escape The Void 8:14
+ Hidden bonus Cover Version of OZZY Over the Mountain

Bass – Mark Bodine
Drums – Bob Cochran
Engineer, Mixed By – Joshua Tobias*
Guitar – Erik Moggridge
Mixed By, Co-producer – Epidemic
Producer, Mixed By – Scott Sargeant
Vocals – Carl Fulli

Epidemic’s insistence on a mid-tempo pace throughout this record evokes sometimes a heavy or doomy atmosphere which probably, reflects more accurately the record’s themes of hopelessness and despair.

The voice is similar to that of Chris Barnes at times, only more coherent. The vocalist reminds me of a more skilled version of the vocalist of Vio-lence. In fact, if Vio-lence were a death metal band, they’d sound alot like Epidemic. Vocalist Carl Fulli shifts from his traditional roar to a death/black growl that manages to add some life to the songs. Bassist Mark Bodine shines as always

Their cover of Over the Mountain is probably the worst song on the album even though he drum work is handled quite competently.

Mid-tempo metal generally speaking is a matter of proper song arrangement in my opinion. With a simple yet effective structure, the best track on the record is Institution of Ignorance. It plays at a steady rhythm but releases more power as it goes. The track wastes no time in taking the first two verses to their climax at 1m05s and 1m26s respectively, and swiftly moves on to a brutal middle part which is connected to the last section with a passage dominated by the bass.

The fastest tracks on the record are probably Lament and Section 13, both quite furious tracks with very dense riffage which exhibit the record’s death metal direction. Deaden and Written in Blood should be definitely noted for their very powerful openings. Whenever Epidemic refrains from lengthy directionless passages, and maintains succinctness and substance, they manage to sound amazing on this record even when they are not particularly fast.

The record has definitely a more death/thrash sound owing mostly to the vocals which are now straightforward growling. Fulli is a great vocalist and has been a consistently solid performer throughout the band’s short body of work. Interestingly, given the direction the record took, it is unexpectedly less abrasive than its predecessor. This is because the record is more structured due to its prevalent mid tempo pace and there are also a lot of riffs that I can only describe as sounding “chugging” or “bouncy” (descriptions that I hate to use but do not know otherwise). These riffs are more prominent to me on Vulture and Deaden, and Written in Blood even has a section at 2m12s that actually reminds me of something that Gojira would compose. This leave me with the impression that the band with this record moved in a way closer to a more contemporary sound but fortunately for the most part they managed to stay clear from any of the undesirables influences and trends of the 90’s.

There are some brilliant moments which certainly deserve an audience. All in all it is a decent last effort that does not justify the unceremonious demise of the band.