Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Warface - Insanity of the Obsessed - 2005 - Deathquake Records

Track Listing1. Judgement Defiled 2. Fatal Inequity 3. Full Term Refuse 4. Insanity of the Obsessed 5. Suppression of Heresy 6. Fragmented Salvation 7. Climatic Annhilation 8. Out of Death 9. Induction

As delightful, challenging, and inspiring as the genre of Death Metal can at times be, there is still an unfortunate stereotype in popular media that it is a tasteless and infantile exploit. Many bands are testament to the contrary, but all stereotypes are founded in reality and death metal is, alas, no exception.

The most recent addition to the poor standard of death metal is the California trio Warface, who slog through an excruciatingly tepid half hour of mid-tempo, one-dimensional mimicking.

Aside from a general absence of creative spark, two things bog down ‘Insanity of the Obsessed’ in particular. There are any number of issues to be had with it, but listing any more than the following pair would simply be a waste of time.

The first is inadequate production—death metal should be a powerful and memorable experience, not just a distraction or background noise—the tinny timbre of this album conjures all the power of tin cans being kicked around a vacant lot. What’s more (flaw two) is that it’s even further drained of life by its pedestrian songwriting that lingers almost entirely around slow, plodding riffs and never reach the invigorating pace suggested by their name and cover art. Sometimes the mid-tempo heavy riffing can compel or at least sustain interest, but without direction or substantial production, it simply sounds lazy and rote.

The only actually uncommon (not really even unique) aspect of Warface would be their female guitarist. Like as not, the anomaly of a woman guitar player in metal has attracted undeserved attention to the group while other innovative and more talented groups languish unrecognized. With such average and passive music as this receiving this level of attention today, it is no wonder that people say metal is dying a disgraceful death.


--Etiam 09.28.06