Alliteration aside (those two words afford assonance for you grammar fans out there), Possessed by Reality provides 31+ minutes of heads down Death Metal that does not bring anything new to the table but will certainly satisfy listeners with a penchant for such. It is somewhat interesting to note that the gentlemen of Mutilation are wearing Slayer, Vader, and Type O Negative shirts in the band photo. Okay, mabe not. Touches of Slayer are definitely present in "Baptized [in] Their Own Blood" and "Demonic" while the latter song mentioned even includes a Black Sabbath feel (there’s another "B" band!).

The vocals are peppered with higher pitched screams and even spoken word (whisper) to impart some individuality to their songs. The guitar work is heavy, the leads are sharp, the drums are articulate (more assonance), and the bass work is rather good, particularly since it is audible on all tracks which is itself a feat -- especially in Death Metal. This is a solid album that is not the most original thing to come down the proverbial pike in years, but that’s okay, too.

Fans of Polish Death Metal apply, as do fans of, well, Bolt Thrower. Speakin’ o’ that band, Cenotaph is dutifully covered in quite faithful fashion (more ass..., ah, fuhgeddaboutit) and offers a slightly more modern sound than the original, though that thick, sludgy, omnipresent bass vibe -- that clearly identifiable Bolt Thrower sound -- is absent. Overall some very good stuff, if not very unique. That opening riff [e.g. the title track] just slays.

Editor's comment: This album was originally released by Empire Records in 2003.

written by Tony Belcher

Playing time: 31.04