Egokill: Destroying the Vibes Review: Fighting Hard

Saying “hello” from the gutters of Rockland County, NY with their debut “Destroying the Vibes” comes the hard hitting crossover thrash of Egokill.

With eight tracks of pure adrenaline, “Destroying the Vibes” is a fun filled ride full of angst perfect for rebellious souls of any age. Highlights include “Withstand Daybreak,” the mosh-friendly “Christ Anxiety” and “Crossfaced.”

The songs are punky yet not overdone with plenty of riffing at their disposal to keep the audience’s attention throughout the album. The songs also use their short lengths to their advantages, ending well before one can begin to get bored of a riff or chord progression. “Withstand Daybreak” is a Misfits inspired number that clocks in at just over three and a half minutes – just enough to audibly digest your ear food before it gets cold. “845” is a few seconds shy of two minutes, getting the point across as quickly as possible.

Another redeeming quality is the groove of the band itself. The late 80’s and early 90’s thrash tones are nicely administered by Egokill’s instrumentalists – most notably the tribal drumming and bass synchronization. Guitarist Matthew Van Pelt does a colorful job of putting the riffing to the vocals for a unique transition. The albums closer, “Mortal Enemy” provides plenty of evidence.

For such an upbeat sounding instrumental section “Destroying the Vibes” is lyrically dark, politically incorrect, and unapologetic at times. An example is “Crossfaced,” which is a song about professional wrestler Chris Beniot and the controversial circumstances surrounding his death. Singer Brian Shermicide’s flow and delivery have very rap-like qualities (“Look to the sky, eager to die, in this temple of shame there can be no light”) while his vocal style is reminiscent of Exodus and Pantera.

Some songs on the album however are just not up to par with others. While “Welcome to the Violence” and “Slaves to Reality” are decent songs in their own right, they don’t entirely lock with the rest of the album. These seem like older Egokill songs that were put on the album due to their longevity. “The Riff” is just a simple intro track that could have gone either way as far as being on the album is concerned.

While some songs don’t hit as hard as others, “Destroying the Vibes” fights hard enough to keep a listener’s attention, staying fresh enough for seconds and sometimes thirds in the same sitting. Egokill have potential that remains untapped but if given enough time to grow, they could eventually re-invent the steel.