Review Aggravator “Sterile Existence” (by Droll)

Aggravator “Sterile Existence”
Dead Center productions

Thrashers Aggravator from San-Antonio, TX are releasing their third album Sterile Existence. Raw sound, aggressive music material, brute vocals and even album’s cover (though it made in disgusting bluish tones) make no doubts: this is real old-school thrash. There are nine uncompromising tracks in an album, full of aggression and hate. At the same time the band can surprise the listener, even without crossing over the boundaries of genre.

The album opens with “Decapitators Temple”. Quite short, gloomy acoustic intro classic speedy thrash drums, snatchy riff and low vocals. Technical, fast solos are changing with vocal line. Yet in the middle of the song the tempo slowing down and gets back to originally set fast tempo only in the end.

Generally, rhythmic pattern changing is a band’s specialty. With this Aggravator have something more to surprise the listener. In “High Impact Homicides” there is interesting bass solo, for example. Guitar solo is also very technical, yet not so inherent to thrash. However it ends up easily, like musicians are recalling that they played thrash and continue to hack the song. Apotheosis of pattern changing is “Abhorrent Point Of View”: at some moment the song ends up and completely different music line starts to play. It is so differ from the main part that you can easily think that it’s a part of another track, mistakenly stuck with this song.

“Subconscious Blind” stands out with its drums lines. Solo guitars are intermittent, like musicians are «accelerating» to get their normal tempo. And if we’re talking about solos, I need to mention “Hacked Human Debris”. Jeff Loomis from Nevermore would have appreciated this work.

Also there are smooth, monotone songs in this album – “Transhuman Incorporeal” and main “Sterile Existence”. They are good for some kind of respite between the other songs, played in higher tempo, but nothing more. Too much monotony.

For sorrow there is one song that just pass away: “Future Re-phased”. It isn’t catchy at all. It well maintained stylistically, played technically, but it can’t catch the attention and you want to switch it as soon as possible. For the justice it needs to say that this is only one song like this in an album.

Summing up: it can be said that in Sterile Existence there is all that those who «thrash till death» can wish. And not only them: fans of good, technical guitar music will also appreciate the album deservedly. This is a great, solid work from the band with its own, formed sound and style.

The album will be released in September, 19 on Dead Center productions.

(c) Droll (www.dailymetal.com.ua)