Two (Poverty)

Demiricous | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 16, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Metal Blade
• ASIN: B000V9KEMO
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #281,867 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible, November 30, 2007

By 

B. Foltz (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Two (Poverty) (Audio CD)

This album is so good that I felt compelled to write my first Amazon review. After purchasing One (Hellbound) and falling in love with it, buying this was a given. One real-life comment is that I have almost wrecked my car a couple times while listening to this album; I am sure people thought I was drunk or nuts, or both.

While the sound is fairly Slayer-ish as one reviewer noted (no problem with that!), it is unique its own right. The overall arrangement and balance of the sound is excellent. I find the tonality "full" or "rich" however one might describe it. Per my tastes, this is probably the best sounding/mixed metal album I have heard. Everything "sits" well within the overall sound. And finally, if you enjoy riff-based metal, which I do, there are few things I have heard that are better. Prepare for a sore neck. Highly, highly recommended.

Notables: Engineer, Knuckle Eye, Leprosaic Belief

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars (4.5 stars) A strong, if surprising, sophomore effort, February 16, 2011

By 

A. Stutheit "Teyad" (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two (Poverty) (Audio CD)

Demiricous are living proof that sometimes there is such a thing as truth in advertising in the music industry. So many people get off easy by signing to a major, well-funded record label, and essentially letting them do all the work by widely broadcasting self-flattering descriptions. Too often, though, the band fails to live up to the hype (and in some cases, one even has to question why they were ever signed in the first place.) This quartet is an exception to that rule, though. Sure, attached Metal Blade and becoming pretty successful for what is still a young group. But they did not let these things go to their heads. There is an undeniable feeling that still have something to prove, and are not content merely to "coast" or go soft any time soon. Plus, when said label really starts to up the promotion, it only adds more fuel to the fire. Product descriptions read things like: "Unleashes pure, unadulterated, high octane metal." And, in a refreshingly honest move, the band make good on the tag line's promise, and are sure to "unleash" (both heavy metal and themselves) in spades.

That much is a given, because Demiricous have always done that. However, there is one huge surprise heard here, and that would be a instantly noticeable tweak in their sound. It isn't exactly the same thing as, say, Metallica's "Load" or Dissection's "Reinkaos," seeing how it isn't nearly controversial enough to rustle many feathers. (A more apt comparison would be to the move that Decapitated made with "Organic Hallucinosis.") Still, there is absolutely no mistaking that the 2006 and 2007 versions of Demiricous are substantially different. See, the previous year's debut, "One (Hellbound)," was a prime piece Eighties-worthy, Slayer-worshipping, Eighties-worthy thrash metal. "Two (Poverty)," on the other hand, actually more-or-less plays like a full-on grindcore album. Sure, the band still wear plenty of thrash influences on their sleeves, but the grind elements overpower them.

For starters, there is definitely a heavy crust punk influence coursing through these songs' veins. On that note, you might think that this album might mark a change in vocalists, but it does not. It is still the same guy as before, Nate Olp - but he did opt for a completely new vocal style this time around. What a difference a year makes - in just that short amount of time, he graduated from deathly-tinged grunts to much higher, cleaner, and sharper, hardcore/crust-derived screaming (not unlike Barney Greenway). Skinsman Chris Cruz is also worth noting because he no longer mimes of Dave Lombardo's and the classic thrash beat style. Instead, he opts for a more brutal approach, spending most of his time with rapid-fire, battering-ram-like blasting. As such, his playing style now evokes classic grindcore like Nasum. Finally, and also in the tradition of true, old-school grind, guitarist Scott Wilson cuts nd just sticks with hardcore-inflected speed metal riffing that is catchy, fast, and heavy, but not overly technical. In the end, distinct elements of of Slayer, Kreator, Exodus, Anthrax, and Motorhead can be traced in "Two (Poverty)." A few streaks of both Nineties-era thrash (ala Pantera, The Crown, Soulfly, etc.), and Lamb Of God-style groove are also present. Finally, Demiricous definitely owe pay homage to Hatebreed/Terror/Sick Of It All by mixing caustic, tough-guy mosh/hardcore, as well. However, for the most part, the new material is more comparable to the likes of, say, Stromtroopers of Death, "Animosity"-era Corrosion Of Conformity (the grindcore era, mind you), Brutal Truth, Nailbomb, latter-day Napalm Death, Goatwhore, Nasum, Gojira, Bolt Thrower, and Misery Index.

While listening to "Two," the one thing that comes to mind first and most-often is the previously-noted "high-octane." No metal band does more justice to that phrase. Several other positive descriptors arise, as well, like "vitriolic," "unbridled," "blistering," "inspired," "punishing," "blood-pumping," and "old-school-esque. "Never Enough Road" (a song title that seems ripped out of a long lost Motorhead playbook) peels out of the starting gate with tires squealing. Seriously, your head will feel like it's on a swivel after hearing all of the blistering thrash picking, rip-roaring wall-of-sound, Meshuggah-esque rhythmic power, occasional punk-flavored breakdowns, and lung-stretching, Lemmy Kilmister-meets-Tom Araya-meets-Max Cavalera screams on display here. "Expressions Of Immunity To God" keeps things rolling along, thanks to its equally-as-frenetic and face-ripping tempo, Sepultura-inspired riffs, and machine-gun fast double bass drum fills.Track three, "Knuckle Eye," features a few well-placed and well-played tempo changes and a deft, bouncy little drum solo. "Leprosaic Belief" and "Language Of Oblivion" have big, fat, chugging guitars.;but they are mostly propelled by Chris Cruz's forceful double-time drum salvos (including frequent grinding blasts.)

"Tusk And Claw" and "Appreciation For Misery" are propelled by buzzsaw riffage. Also, note that the former song has Peter Dolving-inspired barks, and the latter has a handful of exceptional guitar solos. Tracks eight ("Engineer,", with its mosh-pit-ready, shout-along vocals), nine ("Celebration Of Damage", with its deep, steamrolling groove), and eleven ("Stress Fetish", with its rhythmic guitar licks that will have heads everywhere bangin along in unison) are three particularly catchy numbers. Elsewhere, "Acid Lung" builds to a memorable climax highlighted by staccato vocal hooks and a surprisingly melodic and ripping solo from Wilson. And set closer, "Blackish Silver," marries and unorthodox, "wah-wah"-tinged guitar intro with nice, prominent, grumbling, distorted bass lines, densely churning and lumbering rhythms, and a little bit of ominous feedback at the end.

Demiricous' consistently precise playing and potent songwriting makes for high intensity levels throughout. Plus, to their credit, unlike a lot of grindcore on the market these days, this group never forsakes catchiness. No matter how fast they're going, they always throw plenty of strong hooks into the mix. Granted, they aren't exactly in the same ballpark as, say, Discordance Axis; but still -- this is a grindcore album, and a darn catchy one at that. Couple these things together, and as a result, heavy music fans would be hard pressed to view "Two (Poverty)" in a negative light. The words "high-octane" is still probably the most apt descriptor of the album, but it is also unquestionably deserves to be called the following phrase: "very satisfying."

5.0 out of 5 stars One Two is right!! Great one two punch of THRASH!!, October 23, 2008

By 

Beyond the Black - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Two (Poverty) (Audio CD)

Hard driving Slayer type thrash! I thought that about the first cd, and now there are TWO! If you love thrash in the vein of slayer, you'll absolutely love this band.