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Philly freaks Polterchrist offer up a crypt-kicking concept album here about, well, I dunno. The cover’s got giant wasps invading Tokyo, but that shouldn’t take a whole hour, should it? Anyway, it’s some kinda scf-fi scream dream, battered-out in 5 minute chunks of space-y, melodic death-thrash. It’s also got elements of black metal, especially on the murky, half-buried demon-ghost-vox. Oh, and sometimes it sounds just like Overkill. Hell, it’s got all sorts of aggro-rock sounds ripping through it, which makes “Swarm” sound more like an over-amped riff sampler then a cohesive collection of tightly-wound giant insect songs. But, you know, who’s got the attention span for prog-death epics, anyway? Not me, Jack. Polterchrist have not created a starchy Meal of Metal here, but if you’re looking for a little death salad, there’s plenty of good bits to pick through. __________________________________________________

-Sleazegrinder