Nonexist - The New Flesh

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Sweden’s NONEXIST originally formed in 2001, and were active until 2004, touted as Melodic Thrash/Death Metal. From there, the band members went their separate ways. However in 2011 a new collection of songs surfaced and they were re-born. Since then, they released two full-length albums, and now this latest EP entitled “The New Flesh,” which contains four studio and one live track, with a total running length of just over 18 minutes. The title track begins with a gun shot and then a deep and heavy riff with layered guitars and furious blast beat drumming. The vocals are in the Death range, although the track as a whole does fall somewhere within the Thrash/Death continuum. Pig squeals abound, perhaps to the point of being a bit overdone. The track is absolutely pulverizing. “A Promise Unfulfilled” however grooves with an ANTHRAX vibe, with Death vocals of course. But the clean singing brings in another element to the mix here—some harmony and melody in the guitars as well.

“Dark and Tortured Universe” returns with a vengeance of a God locked in a cage for most of eternity. It is fast, furious and angry beyond what you could imagine. If they are not keyboards in the background, or effects to that nature, then they could be guitar parts that have a chilling nature to them, but marvelous at the same time. The more you listen to this song, the deeper you can hear how well-crafted it really is. “Before The Storm Takes Me” is another scorcher but with attention to melodies here and there that really make it stand out. When you hear this song, you can really understand how the descriptor of “Melodic Thrash/Death” comes to life. As a big fan of melody, I find myself wanting more, but there is enough there to make me smile amidst the chaos and fervor of their Death Metal. Though the live track “Delirious Tounges” certainly answered affirmatively that the band can play very tightly, I wasn’t overly happy with the narrowness of the sound on this track. But, it did not keep me from enjoying the EP as a whole.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised here. You never quite know what to expect from a band that was on hiatus for as long as they were and have been coming back as a group for more. But I have to say that the EP has found a nice niche in the genre of Metal. Fans on the brutal/heavy side will like the way it batters and bruises you with rhythms and twisted vocals. Drummer Joakim puts up a pace that would threaten to melt his feet. The unexpected melodies here and there however are just perfectly placed. It’s like eating an expensive piece of chocolate. As you consume it, it just glides over your taste buds and you enjoy every second of the morsel. Any more than that however would cheapen the experience of it being a rare treat. I found myself wanting more and more of what they offered here and urge you to pick it up.

Songwriting: 8
Originality: 8
Memorability: 8
Production: 7