Centurian - Contra Rationem (2013)

Can't say that I'm the biggest fan of Centurian's take on the metal o' death, but I have to give credit where credit is due and Centurian are without a doubt one of the more creative bands to have emerged within the underground.

First and foremost, 'Contra Rationem' is the type of comeback album that you hope and pray for. It is a flawless continuation of where the band left off on 2001's 'Liber Zar Zax' (though it can be argued that the band had been honing its craft all along under the Nox moniker, releasing the stellar 'Ixaxarr' in '07 followed by the 'Blood, Bones and Ritual Death' ep in 2010).

Centurian play a sort of "fast and furious" version of death metal that many have accurately compared to that of Deicide, though the riffwork itself is more along the lines of early Morbid Angel what with its bizarro string bends and overall unorthodox fretboard explorations. The vocals are not quite as raging and hateful as the earlier Deicide albums nor are they monotonous and laughable as that band's latter works. If anything, the vocalist of Centurian sort of sounds like Glen Benton's "little Brother" sans the shrieking gaia back-ups.

Again, Centurian's brand of blasphemous death isn't my particular cup o' tea, nor is it something I despise. The band excels at what they do and I can't help but admire their conviction. This will most certainly appeal to fans of Brazilian and Floridian death metal.