Taking a rather more riff-based approach than their peers, Californian-rooted Metallers Deeds Of Flesh do their damndest to redefine Brutal Death Metal on album number seven, seeking to marry it to the Technical Death Metal movement that’s arisen in recent years, and for the most part this works just fine. Whichever song you stick on, you’re certain to get a truckload of zany guitar playing (there being more riffs here than you can shake a stick at) as well as deep growls and technical drum beats galore. Of course, being Death Metal of the Brutal variety, it’s hard to point out brilliant songs as they’re all pretty samey, but there are surprisingly catchy moments here and there; the title track especially being a sharp-edged little groover with excellent melodic parts, and Unearthly Invent stopping and starting on a razor’s edge, a perfect example of Technical Death for the modern pretenders to the throne.

But then come the complaints; the drums are muffled by the production meaning that you can’t hear all the little technicalities, meaning that this album’s claim to a ‘Tech’ title is rather suspect. As cool as the guitar playing is, and it’s pretty darned cool, it’d be nice to hear how the drummer backs it up. It’s also a shame that the songs are so repetitive and samey; fine, the noodles of technicality help, but for the most part Of What’s To Come is Cannibal Corpse worship, and really, if there’s one band in the Death Metalosphere that you should already be familiar with it’s the Corpse. Deeds Of Flesh haven’t provided a good enough reason here for listening to them rather than the masters themselves, unlike, say, Cannabis Corpse, with their songwriting skills.

Aside from a rather cool bass solo in Harvest Temples, there’s little to keep you listening after the first time, and as fun as bass solos are, they really aren’t a reason to recommend one Death Metal album over another. So as enjoyable as Of What’s To Come can be, it’s hardly the bastion of awesome that some would have you believe. Death Metal’s come far in recent years, but if this truly is what’s to come, then count me out – it’s the same as what has been.