I was introduced to the sickening vocals of Matti Way through Steve Miller (ex-Extremities Productions/Repulse USA) who sent me a few samples of the Disgorge demo material he was compiling for release on CD back in 1999. I have to admit the vocals were so ridiculously inhuman that I instantly became a fan, and bought Cranial Impalement the day it was released. Everything I’ve heard that included Matti since hasn’t really impressed me, but it’s never been his vocal performance that didn’t do it for me, it was just the music surrounding it. On the other hand, the first time I heard Brodequin, I couldn’t help but laugh, roll my eyes and shake my head. The material on Instruments Of Torture was just so over the top, I couldn’t help but disregard the band. Then a weird thing happened, I found myself going back and listening to the CD again. And again. And again. Before I’d known or realized it, I’d actually somehow become a Brodequin fan. The drumming of Chad Walls was absolutely insane, mixed with the solid riffs and inhuman gurgles made their material annoyingly, retardedly hypnotic, and I just could not stop listening. When I found out Matti Way was joining forces with the guys in Brodequin, I have to admit part of me was a little excited and curious to find out what they’d come up with, but when I found out Chad had left the group and was replaced by Jon Engman of Foetopsy, I have to admit I became a bit more skeptical. The result of their collaboration is 2004’s Dawn Of Ash, featuring nine all new tracks, and covers of Disgorge’s "Cognitive Lust Of Mutilation" from Cranial Impalement release and Brodequin’s "Infested With Worms" from Instruments Of Torture. Musically, this album is similar to the style Brodequin is known for, only with more of a grindy edge to it. Two elements of the band immediately stand out and set the group apart from Brodequin; firstly, the guitar tone and sound are much higher in the mix, and secondly, the drums don’t have the distinctively hollow sound as on Instruments Of Torture and Festival Of Death, sounding much more natural. Unfortunately, neither of these are really good things. While the music is still blazingly fast and über-brutal, with the no-frills production, everything sounds the same and basically comes across all in the same pitch, and everything just comes across very monotonously. The vocals are top notch and completely ridiculous, which is great, but they often get caught up in the overpowering guitar sound and the wicked riffs often wind up being overpowered by the drums, which are then overpowered by the vocals. I don’t think I really realized just how bad the problem was until listening to the cover tracks. The original Disgorge version of "Cognitive Lust Of Mutilation" had the perfect tone for the vocals, the guitars could have been thicker and the drums could have sounded better, but overall pretty solid. Liturgy’s version is just a continuous wall of sound. Same with the cover of Brodequin’s "Infested With Worms". The original had a more layered sound, hollow drums, slightly light sounding guitars and perfect vocals. Liturgy’s version sounds like a backed up toilet trying to spew turds up for 2 minutes straight. Don’t get me wrong, musically, I dig this album; I think it’s great, but, the production is awful. While there’s awful good, like the Mexican Disgorge’s Forensick, the production of Dawn Of Ash is just awful awful. If I could sit through this CD without feeling completely frustrated and needing to turn it off midway through I’d recommend it, but I can’t.

Written By: Teufel