Krisiun - The Great Execution (2011)

Krisiun is a band that has taken me some getting used to, as I've experienced a number of their live performances at which I found the music to feel dull and repetitious, despite its brutal architecture. I could also say the same for their albums, but a number of them have grown on me, from the 90s excursions like Apocalyptic Revelation or Conquerors of Armageddon to their 2008 outing Southern Storm which showed an increase in songwriting depth and variation that was well timed in such an enduring career. The Great Execution is the band's eight full-length, and continues along the axis of its direct predecessor, that is to say a more versatile approach which channels their massive Deicide, Vital Remains, Morbid Angel influence to an appreciable breadth of possibility, if not the most breathtaking results.

The Brazilians pace themselves fairly well here, but I can't help but feel that a lot of the actual riffs being performed are highly predictable and unwilling to change up the progression of notes into something more satiating to the ear. "The Will to Potency" is an almost tribal escalation of momentum, but until about 3 minutes in, and the great lead sequence, it feels underwhelming. "Blood of Lions" integrates a lot of chugging, thrash influence but this often manifests in a pretty bland selection of mutes, and once again the bridge and guitar solo are more musical than the remainder of the track. Fortunately, the deeper in, the more exciting and memorable the actual rhythm guitar content becomes, so songs like "The Extremist", "Violentia Gladiatore" and "The Great Execution" itself are spring-loaded with great riffs that feel as if they deserve the Mosyes Kolesne leads, which are in general excellent across the entirely of the album.

One of the tightest functioning death metal bands in existence, the execution of the musicianship here is pure precision, and that's always a pleasure to experience, even if they're not among the more menacing or memorable of death metal acts internationally. Max is a metronome of steady muscle who never wavers, and the crisp and clean tone of the guitar suits the percussive nature of their composition. I'm not a big fan of the bass-lines, which too often seem to follow along with the rhythm guitar so that you rarely notice them, but then, Alex Camargo is also doubling up as vocalist, a position in which he is superior. The Great Execution definitely seems to me like a clinical, modern upgrade to the roots of their countrymen Sepultura, bathed in the context of Krisiun's USDM influences. It's not quite as forceful as Southern Storm, but shares in that album's more adventurous use of the guitar in the bridge and leads to create what is a damned solid, if not perfect, listen.

Verdict: Win [7.25/10]

http://www.krisiun.com.br/