Burial is an obscure Dutch death metal band that formed in ’91 and proceeded to release one demo and one album then, due to issues with their drummer, disbanded in 1993. Apparently the band was resurrected a few years ago.
Burial were very obviously influenced by the early works of two specific American death metal bands: Massacre and Death. There is no denying that this whole album reeks of fanatic worship of these two legendary Floridian acts. So, given that most of you will be familiar with these two bands, you should already have a good idea what to expect; technical yet powerful and catchy headbanging riffs, precise drumming, fast, thrashing tempos, complex song structures and aggressive vocals that could give Kam Lee a run for his money.
After hearing the killer opening track “The Second Coming”, the listener instantly knows what they’re in for and it’s one hell of a bloody ride! Along with the previously mentioned Massacre and Death influence, you’ll also find fleshripping thrashing moments that bring to mind old-school “brutal” thrash bands such as Demolition Hammer and Morbid Saint, which should definitely keep the average old-schooler entertained!
The real highlight of “Relinquished Souls” lies in the guitar playing. The riffs are complex but still catchy and nearly every song has multiple solos. The bass, drums and vocals are all great but the two guitarists really on a whole other level. It really is a shame that this band only released one demo and album before fading into obscurity, as I would love to know how they would have progressed over time.
Highlights:
"Traumatized"
"Abhorence Within"
"Frigid Cold"
Final Rating: Awesome [8.5/10]
If you’re a fan of old-school early 90’s death metal, I would highly recommend picking up the reissue of this album through Memento Mori Records.
