Ah, the Swiss. For a country so neutral and full of tasty chocolate and suspicious bank accounts, they produce some unexpected metal. To think, both Celtic Frost and Embalming Theatre call Switzerland home. The country is just not the sort of place you would envision metal to come from. Then again, neither is Malta, and that place has some ridiculously brutal acts.

Finally we have a full length from Amok. These Swiss tech fiends already demonstrated their impressive capability on the Hephaistos EP, and ever since I’ve wanted to see them tackle a full effort. Luckily Lullabies Of Silence is no disappointment. It’s tight, it’s fast, and it’s furious. There’s a bit of Gorguts in here, a bit of Death, some of Cynic’s jazzier moments (and even a good Ephel Duath feel from time to time), and the technical prowess of Theory In Practice at its most complex. The best way I can really describe this is what would happen if Spastic Ink went death metal, got a capable screaming vocalist, and messed around with the more emotive jazz fusion you see from time to time. The vocalist also occasionally delves into mid-range growls with a coherent edge, not unlike Guy from The Red Chord (just in the growls, not the scream). The writing is solid, though not amazing, but for what it’s worth it works on the album. The only gripe I might have is the lack of an instrumental track, just because I’d like to see them tackle one. However, that concern has nothing to do with the quality of the album.

If you like over-the-top technicality, Amok is a must have for tech death fans. It’s also nice to see another act added to the list of why you should never underestimate Switzerland’s metal scene.

Review byNecro-tron