While most regional music scenes are to a certain degree incestuous, the Maryland music scene is a top recycler of players. Over the years, names like INDESTROY, UNORTHODOX, DEUCE, SPIRIT CARAVAN, INTERNAL VOID, TENSION, and LIFE BEYOND have all taken advantage of the local yokels bouncing around, eventually claiming their section of the spider web, defunct bands dangling here and there like dry insect parts.

AGAINST NATURE’s John Brenner is no exception. While not as household name-ish as Weinrich or Liebling, he’s made his mark handling guitar duties for the AGENT STEEL-ish 80s thrash band HAVE MERCY (remember them?) as well as 90s Hellhound label doom legends REVELATION. AGAINST NATURE is his latest creation, already arriving at their second release with “Appease”.

Musically, there’s plenty here to satisfy the discerning doom fan’s palate. Tracks like “A Priori” and “Before the Before” crawl along at the speed of soil erosion, Brenner’s axe oozing riffs that conjure images of gargoyles and solos that flood the room with sweet, golden tones. Vocally, it’s a haunting cruise down the Sea of NyQuil, making for an audio experience that falls between SABBATH’s “Solitude” and perhaps something from DC’s DEAD MEADOW. If the goal was to stick to a classic formula and maximize the appeal to doom purists, AGAINST NATURE is a sure-fire winner. But the robotic sameness of the song structures and stick-to-the-script arrangements could press the snooze button for metal fans seeking variety. Admittedly, doom shouldn’t be a session of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, but an acoustic interlude, some samples, even something as clichéd as a church bell would go a long way to break the monotony of the predetermined patterns (slow riff/ echoey vocal / uptempo riff / solo / return to slow riff) presented in practically every song. It seems only a matter of time until labels like Black Widow or Martyr come a-calling on these boys. Recommended for the folks that cherish their COUNT RAVEN vinyl collection more than life itself.

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: www.againstnature.us

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