More of a double EP or split release with themselves than a studio album in the traditional sense, Defeated Sanity have put together two releases in one here. Disposal of the Dead is the brutal death metal band we know and love, but Dharmata is a tribute to old-school progressive death metal and sounds more like Atheist or early Pestilence than the Suffocation-meets-Crytopsy sledgehammering that Defeated Sanity are known for. Few bands could really pull this off, but I’ve long been a fan of Defeated Sanity and it should come as no surprise that these talented Germans have made this an excellent, original venture. Opening with their typical sound in Disposal of the Dead, intro Remotio Mortuorum sets the scene well with creepy whispers and percussion, building riffs in the background slowing getting louder until they’re dominating, leading perfectly into Into The Soil. This shows the band off perfectly; they have a formula, but it’s an effective one. Tempo shifts from galloping to grooving brutality, wall-of-noise guitars and downright slamming percussion – it’s heavy, harsh, and headbangable as hell.

There’s not a great deal of difference between, say, Consuming Grief and Generosity of the Deceased, but each are compelling and darkly atmospheric in a way that few death metal bands can manage. Suttee ups the ante with sheer brutality, short and sharp, while The Bell explores the atmospheric side of the band’s groove, adding a little jazzy breakdown at the end to signify the start of Dharmata. As mentioned, this is like a lost Atheist album, all spasmodic riffs and funky percussion, very different to the usual Defeated Sanity – the band even switched vocalist, guest Max Phelps (Exist, ex-Cynic) doing a great Chuck Schuldiner impression and the music having a touch of Death’s jazzy thrash/death on The Mesmerizing Light. As a whole it’s a prog death fan dream, full of little bass noodles and drum flourishes, not to mention the lovely buckets of riffs – Defeated Sanity clearly had a lot of fun making this. Some touches may be a bit much; the cowbell on The Quest for Non-Existence, for instance, and Return to Samsara is just a little too long at nearly nine minutes long. But they’re all fun to listen to, and this release will please death metal fans who like a little variety.