Any band’s first steps are always important. More often than not, those initial decisions are what set the tone for what’s to come as a band moves through the scene at their own pace, and it’s oftentimes the backbone of what a band will build their very identity off of. As you might expect, however, it’s in the beginnings that many bands tend to make understandable mistakes, not yet knowing how to move as a truly cohesive unit or having a sound that’s still quite unpolished. Some fail outright in such a light, but there are those that can make their first moments interesting despite their imperfections. Such is the case with the debut from Ailurophobia.

Death metal has long been the sort of thing that those who are exceptionally good are those who dominate practically from the very beginning, but that doesn’t always mean that those who don’t achieve great success aren’t still worthy of investigation. Even amongst the creations that can sometimes feel clunky and as though the band in question is still searching for what works despite wholehearted attempts at giving it a good shot, there’s intrigue to be had. “Contemplation of a Declining World” could have easily been a mess should Ailurophobia not have allowed their passion for the sound to bleed through every moment of the record, and that’s just a part of what kept me coming back to what this work had to offer. Reliant on its rhythms but never really allowing itself to lean fully on hooks and melodies, the ten tracks of this debut can easily be seen as something that needed more time in the oven or a little bit more polishing in the way of its overall songwriting, but I find there to be something interesting in the raw feel that permeates damn near every aspect of “Contemplation of a Declining World” whether or not Ailurophobia intended so. It can make for a disjointed performance at times, but there’s honest sincerity in the work. It shines through with great intensity that is only matched by the ferocious death metal that’s on constant display in this performance, quickly allowing Ailurophobia to stand out even just a little in a dense crowd that could effortlessly swallow them.

While it would always be nice to see a new band hit it out of the park on their very first effort, it’s simply not a realistic expectation. Yet, that doesn’t diminish the power and intrigue that Ailurophobia offers us here. “Contemplation of a Declining World” is nothing if not very forward in what it seeks to achieve with its themes and imagery, and I can only see the act prospering should they follow through on the foundational aspects that they’ve laid forth in this promising debut.

LISTEN to “Contemplation of a Declining World” on Bandcamp here.

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