Returner :: Dealing with this Death
Very Interesting. What happens when an extreme death/ grind band decides to
go high concept and write a King Diamond style story album? Returner has the
answer. This one is about a young vampire hunter. Of course, to know any of
this you have to read the lyrics. Everything is grunted and growled in the
fashion you would expect from an extreme band. Its still fun! These guys have
everything it takes to make a fan of me. I really didnÕt expect so much when
I saw it. ThatÕll teach me to judge a CD by its cover. This is very cool,
well written, confidently performed music. IÕm actually kind of excited to
see what this band will do next. I also wouldnÕt mind seeing a bigger indie
label buy the rights to this one and give it a little spit polish. I like
it the way it is, but itÕd be cool to hear with more slick studio sound.
--Neo-Zine
Returner :: Dealing with this Death
Dealing With This Death is the first release of death metal band Returner.
Ambitiously enough, this is a concept album dealing with a teenage vampire
hunter dealing with his destiny. Sounds like a plot for a movie, but nonetheless
provides an additional layer of intrigue and the lyrical content is quite
solid. The music itself is quite groove-intensive, with thick and plodding
riffs (Obituary and 6FU come to mind in the tone) that may not be the fastest
or most complex but I was suprised at how well they managed to stick in my
head. The growling and screams are done quite well, in a brutal death manner
that isn't the best for interpreting lyrics but suits the music just fine.
With the four "actual" songs, the riffing is complemented by some more progressive
and lenghty leads and solos, a vital necessity in the longest song, "Evening
Encounter". "In Cold Blood" and the closing title track move up the tempo
from the first two songs, with "Dealing With This Death" being my pick from
the disc. Probably the quickest song, it benefits from having one of the most
memorable riffs start it off and a mellow outro, giving a perfect ending that
compliments the lyrical content of the disc. There is one glaring problem
with this disc. In an effort to truly visualize the concept album, three songs
here aren't songs so much as mostly mellow instrumentals with spoken word
sections. The spoken word on the first track was so awkward and laughable
it made me cringe. "No Turning Back" and "Farewell" have a different approach
vocally but I can't help but think how much better and fluid this disc would
be without those tracks. In theory, it does aid in the idea of the concept
album, but the execution of this idea is decidely subpar. Finally, the cover
art is just plain silly. Considering only the four true songs here, Returner
is off to a solid start. Many bands fail miserably with groove-intensive songwriting,
but their ability to provide memorable soloing/leadwork gives them an added
edge. The lyrical aspect was also quite good and much appreciated, putting
the extra effort in a subgenre that usually doesn't pay much attention to
this aspect of the music. It's nice to see originality can still be alive
and well in death metal. Standout Tracks: Dealing With This Death, Evening
Encounter, In Cold Blood.
- 06/04/2006 Wayfaerer (Harm
Magazine)
Returner :: Dealing with this Death
Drummer Jon Kois assembled this motley crew of metal heads and put them to
task to create some wicked extreme metal. The album follows an adolescent
vampire hunter in Belgrade as he attempts to shrug off his cursed life as
he journeys looking for inner peace. The music boasts growling vocals that
bounce from death metal growls to goregrind scowls, thick guitar distortion,
and big drums. The recording at times is a bit lo-fi but it delivers evil
sinister slugs that are just as mighty as big name artists in their genre.
- J-Sin (Smother Magazine)
