What? Unrelenting blasting death metal? From....Brazil? Impossible! I can't imagine such a thing! I thought Brazil was only home to Angra and Sepultura!

Nephasth are yet another Brazilian outfit playing extremely brutal death metal. Who knows what the fuck is wrong (or right) with that country to produce so many of these bands on such a regular basis. Playing a type of supercharged hybrid of Morbid Angel, Vader, and Krisiun, Nephasth made waves on Relapse's Brazilian Assault compilation in 2001. Fittingly, they signed with Mighty Music, a label best known for releasing albums by fellow deathsters Iniquity, Solar Dawn, and Beheaded. If you've heard the tracks on the compilation or the aforementioned bands, you should have a pretty good idea of what you're getting with this release.

With plenty of time changes and creative riffs, I'd almost say Nephasth has a little more variety going for them than some of the forerunners of this style. It just seems a little more inspired by some of the classic death metal bands. Everything's there, though. They've got the incredibly satanic lyrics complete with low, cord-shredding, guttural growls that tear through song after song. The guitars have that standard early 90's tone and when they're not laying down a solid foundation, they're forcing out these impressive and chaotic Slayer solos that only occasionally match up with the rhythm guitar. The drums sound a little flat, but that doesn't seem to stop them from being one of the more important characteristics of this album. It's incredible mechanical drumwork with the double-bass pedal rarely letting up. Like I said, it's all there - plus a lame synth intermission track, which probably shouldn't have found its way on the album.

As is the problem with nearly all extremely aggressive and unyielding death metal - it can drag on a bit for a lot of people. After about a half an hour, I find myself growing a little restless with Nephasth's latest output. I'm still impressed, but just a little bored - but I wouldn't mark them down for such a thing. This is a particular style of death metal that's meant to appeal to a certain crowd and I'd probably be disappointed if they changed things up at all. Anyone whose ever found themselves beating up their own mother to a Krisiun or Rebaelliun album will surely enjoy this. If pummeling and over-the-top death metal is your thing, then you'll do just fine with Conceived by Inhuman Blood.