Maximum Metal Rating Legend

India's Plague Throat unleash a massive monster with their debut album 'The Human Paradox'. From start to finish, this album is an unrelenting full-on assault with one goal in mind--leave you broken, bloodied and crawling back for more. The sheer heaviness that Plague Throat delivers with their music is equal parts brutality, aggression and fine craftsmanship performed with a precision so sharp that it would make a world renowned surgeon shake their head in amazement. I've not heard so many well constructed riffs, songs that focus as much on quality as they do catchiness, and a death metal album that you can play from start to finish without skipping a track or becoming slightly bored.

The vocals on "Human Paradox" are exactly what us death metal fans look for--they're pissed off, full of spite and sound like they are issuing forth from the belly of a greater demon of Hell. The vocals really lend strength to the songs and add to the scope of enjoyment that is encapsulated on the album. Musically, the band churns out some of the nastiest, catchiest riffs that you're likely to find from a death metal band in the genre. Frenetic, catchy chainsaw riffs are layered with bone crushing grooves and frantic, melodic guitar solos to give you a grin that runs from ear to ear. The drumming on 'The Human Paradox' is nothing short of superb, with blast beats and double bass to satisfy even the most needy speed freak. The bass is just as galloping and catchy as the guitar work and the overall blend unleashes a wall of sound that destroys everything in its path.

Another great feature that is present on only a few songs, most notably the album closer "Ma Nga", is the use of traditional Indian instruments that give the album an ethnic and at times tribal feel. The production takes the insanity of the music, the rage of the vocals and crafts it all into one monstrous machine that holds nothing back. I won't get into it here but the fact that this band, as well as a band like Demonic Resurrection, choose to create this type of music given the culture in their country is just impressive as hell and gives me greater appreciation for these artists. If you aren't familiar with the plight of Indian metal bands, do some digging online and you'll see what I'm talking about. Bottom line though is that 'The Human Paradox' is a hell of an album, one that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to and will continue to play for years to come.