Deiquisitor is perhaps the most brutal band from Europe that is inspired by N.Y.’s old school style of death metal. Their sonic palette is equivalent to bands like Immolation and Drawn and Quartered. ‘Humanoid‘ is the third EP and seventh outing from this Danish death metal trio, returning with six brand new tracks. The aural assault of technicality and the abrasive brutality has always been their trademark. Since their 2016 self-titled debut album Deiquisitor has combined a massive range of brutality by evoking aural chaos. Formed in 2013 by HBC (drums and backing vocals), and TFJ (guitars, vocals) with DA (bass guitar) joining in 2014. Giving an initial impression of their destructive arsenals Deiquisitor has raised the powerful effect of their sonic resonance with each release. Through chunky riffs and solid barbarity these Danes are on the top of their game now while still leaning on the heavy and ultra-brutal direction of old-school death metal. 

Eerie mechanical noise opens The EP on ‘World in Flames‘ accompanied by the merciless tone of the bass guitar and the bludgeoning drums booming loudly. Although the drums exhibit a formidable ferocity, the pace keeps changing throughout the tracks. ‘Autonomous Warfare‘ shifts into a brutal and technical complexion. With ripping guitars alongside heavy sonic reverb, the cavernous vocals echo deep growls and the solid drumming focuses on flawless extremity. Throughout the time length, the drums unleash interminable blast beats. Even though the songs fluctuate between the heavy paces, the riffing is absolutely remarkable.

Deiquisitor conjoins crushing brutality and consistent aggression. The guitars offer shredding tremolos, dissonance, and swaggers with bulldozing riffs. Much like the American brand of death metal the Danes maintain a line between grooves, brutality and solid riffing potency. ‘Below the Frozen Tundra‘ is filled with murky riffs and solos that set a nebulous tone and plunge into the dark boundaries of brutal death metal. The track is overwrought with grinding drums. It is quite easy to get drawn into the nauseating vortex of the churning riffs. 

Deiquisitor mostly leans towards a one-dimensional style, but what makes the songs so appealing is the method in which they are conveyed. The buzz saw riffs continue to swirl like a massive hurricane vortex. ‘Empyrean Lifeform‘ is churned with murky riffs and straightforward blast beats. ‘Humanoid‘ is an excellent follow-up to the band’s previous album. Being a great tier of supreme death metal, the trio managed to invoke an immense sound. The amalgamation of brutal death and blackened death metal is brilliantly interwoven into the song composition. 

The chopping drums sound like a crushing machine through the heavy sound of the bass guitar chords and the impressive heaviness of the guitars. ‘Dictate the Believers‘ is full of these complex riffs and guttural growls. The album has many varied elements to it while the blackened riffs give the songs a dark texture combining technicality and dissonance. The outcome of the music this time feels more visceral than ever. Deiquisitor simultaneously shows the ability to push the boundaries beyond the norms. The final track ‘Blinded by Wisdom‘ has many intricate qualities to it. For example, the guitars ignite with boisterous tremolos while the drums provide a tremendous backing for the belching growls.

Overall, this is definitely a great improvement over its predecessor, which is not saying that their previous albums were lacking in any way. The Danes have kept the brutality intact and lifted their craftsmanship to greater levels. ‘Humanoid‘ is by far one of the best EPs released this year. If you are into old-school brutal death metal then I recommend checking out their latest effort. 

Release Date: February 2nd, 2021
Label: Dark Descent Records
Track list:

1. World in Flames
2. Autonomous Warfare
3. Below the Frozen Tundra
4. Empyrean Lifeform
5. Dictate the Believers
6. Blinded by Wisdom