New Mexico isn’t exactly someplace that I’d be looking at for quality death metal, but I’ve found it amongst the desert-like landscape before from places across the globe such as Iran before, so why not go there to check it out? While being far from a standout act, Damien rears around quickly after investigating New Mexican death metal, and their new EP is quite the slab of maggot-ridden flesh that’s not to be taken lightly.

Wasting no time whatsoever, “Volume Two” is a 3-track sampling that’s the sort of thing that helps put promising death metal bands on the map, and that definitely seems to be the start of what’s happening for Damien. Each ripper of a song off this EP shows that not only does Damien have a solid understanding of how to create comprehensive death metal that isn’t so generic it’s boring, but they show plenty of attributes that every exceptional band has. “Volume Two” has the technical prowess that provides much more than riffs regardless of how tasty they are, a sense of speed that really melts the flesh right off your bones and leaves the marrow for the buzzards, and an overall destruction that isn’t only all-consuming but it sets all it comes across ablaze instantly to truly allow for this sense of mass death and decay to settle across all three tracks. The vocals tie the songs together terrifically, the bass destroys all there is, the guitars shredding everything in sight, and the drums being a speedy doldrum to your brutal death; all of that comes together t create a vicious experience that really allows “Volume Two” to demonstrate the potential that’s behind Damien.

In no way does Damien do anything wildly different or try to distance themselves in the vast death metal scene, but they still do a great job at making their presence known with an EP that’s a real ball crusher. “Volume Two” may not have much to call its own, but what it has isn’t anything to scoff at and I’m sure that Damien will be able to follow up very appropriately.

LISTEN to “Volume Two” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Damien on Facebook here.

FOLLOW Damien on Twitter: @DamienCult