Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Gian All Life Erased Company: Inverse Records Release: 2015 Genre: Death Thrash Reviewer: Greg Watson

Thunderous mix of death and thrash

Finnish newcomers Gian debut with "All Life Erased", a thunderous mix of death and thrash. Replete with barbarically savage blastbeats, technically precise and furious riffs, Gian prove that they are a well-oiled musical machine that are hellbent on getting your head banging at break neck speed. With influences that run the gamut from Slayer to Testament to Dismembered, the band definitely wear those influences proudly with the sound that they possess on the album. And therein lies a bit of a conundrum, while it's great that these bands and many others influenced Gian, it seems that a defineable, identifiable sound of their own is sorely missing on "All Life Erased". And that's not saying that it makes the album unlistenable, it just makes feel a little less organic and more recycled in a sense. However, there are flashes of a trademark sound at a few different points on the album. Take the track "Bloodstorm" for example. The song contains some insane guitar riffs that are just too heavy to even describe. And the blastbeats on this song are Pete Sandoval-esque but heavier, if that's even possible. Then the curveball comes in and the chorus has clean vocals, which is just such a contrast with the music that it really makes everything stand out. At the end of the day, "All Life Erased" is a solid album with some really great songs. The band is poised to really make a name for themselves, once they find their trademark sound and can capture that on their next release. Fans of Thrashy Death with a smattering of Extreme metal will be licking their chops after getting their hands on this one.