Spain for sure has one of the most prominent Death / Grind scenes from Europe, excuse me, from our whole globe, and now it’s time to strengthen this statement by means of the third album by Kevlar Skin, an Andalusian quintet that was formed at the end of last century. This newest recording was recorded, mixed and mastered at the NO! Studios during the second half of 2013, and a while ago it got released via Ukrainian Extreme Metal label Eclectic Productions (cf. Drift Of Genes, Datura, Hrust Kostilyo, Tsubo, Neuro-Visceral Exhumation a.m.m.). But I didn’t want to ignore this stuff; Kunal from the mighty Transcending Obscurity-crew thought this material was too important not to get any attention, so that’s why this review gets prepared with pride and passion J … It’s never too late to give some attention to stuff that deserves it…
Transmigrator consists of nine titles, all together clocking forty minutes. It brings a pretty grooving and powerful form of Grind-edged Death Metal with a specific old schooled vibe, marvelous grunts, technical riffs and a hammering rhythm section. Quite cool are the little funky bass lines, the somewhat voivodian tremolo riffing, and the speed, which isn’t always blasting and hammering, yet which implements quite some slower passages too (!). Once in a while, the essence of Primal Grindcore injects the Brutal Death-passages, with inclusion of the so-called pig squeal screams, but in comparison to the past, there is less of the primitive Grind-school left in favor of a more violent and high-tech Death Metal approach.
A few remarks, however, are to be made, like the lack of originality and, above all, the lack of variation at the one hand, and the lack of depth at the other. When coming back to the first, the originality, opinions might differ. I usually do not care about it, but as an honest reviewer I do need to mention this. You’re welcome… The lack of variation is another issue which I cannot just let pass by. Pretty much the very same techniques are used throughout the whole album. I do not think it really bothers, but after a while you got the ugly picture and it might start getting annoying, I am afraid, especially if the intensity and brutality aren’t your cup of poisonous tea. And the depth, well, I do not think that, with exception of Voluntary Extinction, there are truly memorable pieces on Transmigrator. But once again, it isn’t but my personal opinion (as a reviewer I try to be objective, but as a human being I am not; and damn, this is my review, so I write whatever I want). But despite this latest fact, I need to mention too that there are no weaknesses or mistakes either, so keep that in mind too, please. I think it gets better and better towards the end (or after a couple of listens)…
Yet then again, if you can appreciate uncompromising and malignant Grindeath with an old schooled attitude (fans of Skinless, Devourment, a more ‘traditional’ Cephalic Carnage or some speed-up Jungle Rot, and why not, even Cannibal Corpse or Cattle Decapitation, pay attention!), then you must surely give this release a try.