ARTIST: LETHAL INJECTION
ALBUM: DREAMS AND REALITY EP
RELEASE DATE: 2013
LABEL: INDEPENDENT
GENRE: DEATHCORE/DEATH METAL
RATING: 8/10
Lethal Injection’s new release, Dreams and Reality EP, is a hard hitting, goldmine of potential that just does not quite pack the punch it needed to be great.
The EP is seventeen minutes and five songs. The album gets crawling into a slow start with “Dreams and Reality,” a song which contains a sound bite to start it off, but unfortunately, that sound bite just continues entirely too long. By the time the riff kicks in, the listener will probably be on to the next band in his or her queue. If, however, patience is exercised, Lethal Injection launches into a pounding sonic assault on the listener’s ears. The riffs are nicely chunky; the vocals have a brutally harsh edge to them, and the rhythm section pounds away throughout the album. The eighteen-second bass intro to “Man Corruption” is a refreshing change from the relentless chug pace that the album so often takes, and showcases the bassist’s ability rather nicely.
Dreams and Reality is a well-produced EP, with an interesting style. Though there is no shortage of two step worthy breakdowns, Lethal Injection has a very death metal feel in their playing. Songs such as “Make Your Own Way” keep a breakneck pace, and the harsh vocals feel rougher than a typical deathcore act, at least until the generic “yelling before the scream” vocal style makes an appearance. However, that is not enough to outweigh the interesting style that has slightly faded away in recent years.
The real problem with Dreams and Reality is not what many bands run into so often; Lethal Injection manage to differentiate themselves very well from the pack. The problem is that the same techniques that are used to differentiate are used in excess. The breakdowns are all heavy, but they all sound similar. The riffs all have a form of familiarity, and the vocals rarely change from a mid range growl.
Lethal Injection’s Dreams and Reality EP is a very enjoyable listen; it almost feels like all the positives of when deathcore was fresh and still death metal influenced. The EP is heavy hitting and energetic; the only hurdle in Lethal Injection’s formula is repetition. Too often, tricks are repeated and formulas reused. Still, Dreams and Reality is a good album that should put Lethal Injection on any metal fan’s radar.
