Aghast - Live Dangerously

Self Release 2012

1.Look Alive 2.We Fear Silence 3.Drop Dead Famous

There’s no holding back as ‘Look Alive’ blasts open in an orgy of blast beats, precise extreme guitars and spiteful and angry vocals. Aghast are angry and they’re going to tell you all about it. Switching effortlessly from melodic death metal into grindcore in an instant, there's nothing timid here, no 'playing it safe' for the sake of it. It sounds great, the bands technical ability second to none, and all obviously accomplished musicians. The precision on which the songs are crafted is what really stands out here, flawless in execution. The band are at their best when they rage into the grind sections, furious blast beats belting from the speakers. ‘We Fear Silence’ sees the pace being dropped slightly with the odd blast section being thrown in now and again for good measure. This second track ends on an extremely brutal note, raging blast beats, brutal dual vocals and pummelling double kick drums really smash the listener into the middle of next week. Vocally, James’ voice tends to be very angry, but also remarkably intelligible in extreme metal terms, leaning heavily towards a more shouted or screamed stance. However, when mixed with the guttural voice, they take on a life of their, as brutal as you’re likely to hear.

‘Drop Dead Famous’ is another beast of a track, the production really punches through, with the drums adding real power to the overall sound. The three tracks on ‘Live Dangerously’ cannot be faulted at all, the production is crystal clear, whilst remaining heavy and overwhelmingly brutal. When the kick drums go into hyper speed the power they deliver is remarkable. The shift from the more groove orientated slower sections, through to mid-paced death metal sections and then into the crazed grind sections (Lock Up springs to mind in these faster sections) is jaw dropping. Aghast are something very special indeed, their technical proficiency first rate with a good ear for writing catchy, memorable extreme metal. If you haven’t heard this e.p you should really get it on your “to buy” cd list, it’s a remarkable e.p. (the artwork and packaging alone make it money well spent!) It’s just a shame there’s only three tracks because I could sit and listen to them all day, it really is that good. Very highly recommended

9 out of 10