Sawthis – Youniverse (Bakerteam Records)
Friday, 30th August 2013
Thrash metal now enters a transformative time, especially as younger bands inject cross-pollinated influences to keep the sound up t date. Take Italy’s Sawthis; founded in 2000 and now on their third album with the uniquely titled Youniverse. The quintet certainly has studied at the discography legacy left by veterans such as Machine Head, Fear Factory, Sepultura, and Slipknot based on just a few exposures to these 11 tracks.
Be it the stuttered vocal rhythmic patterns of Alessandro Fala that match the heavy groove factor within “The Waking Up” or the subtle staccato meets Djent crunch factor from guitarists Adriano Quaranta and Janos Murri which captivates the otherwise very In Flames-oriented “The Voice Falls On Me,” Sawthis embody a modern feel of low tuned bounce made to tear off heads and limbs. I love the concept story regarding multiple personality disorder, as you feel the ‘loss of reality’ within “The Crowded Room” just as much as the sonic lunacy that carries the double bass fueled chug monster “The Spotlight.”
Had I not heard Demanufacture, Burn My Eyes, or anything in the Slipknot catalog, Sawthis would be a bright beacon in the scene. Maybe I’m being a bit cynical as I age, but at this point in the game you need more than a grab bag of your favorite artists to establish a potent sound that can sustain longevity in the business. Indiscriminate teenagers and twenty-somethings will probably champion Sawthis as they let out pent frustration from their daily existence, but those with a little more seasoning in the movement will probably place the band in a holding, wait and see pattern.
