Band:	Centurion
Album:	Serve No One
Style:	Brutal death metal
Release date:	March 2012

01. Total Terror
02. Ego Ultimus
03. Sacrilege
04. Gateways To Condemnation
05. Cut The Throat
06. Desecration Of The Holy Kingdom
07. Thy Portal
08. Under The Black Banner
09. Ritual Mass Murder
10. No One To Serve

Am I the only one who hears Behemoth in virtually every death metal band from Poland? It's getting a bit ridiculous, especially when you can pick out a spot or two in a brutal death metal outfit that still reminds you of Nergal and friends.

Okay, so this isn't exactly Zos Kia Cultus with pig squeals*, but the guitar tone and the layered vocal approach aren't the farthest things from the "Blackest ov the Black". With that said, Centurion do play their own style and it's nice to see bands other than Hour Of Penance giving the genre a good name outside of the United States.

* Don't worry you pussy, there aren't any pig squeals.

Serve No One manages to stay quite far away from the current trend of slam death, meaning you don't have to worry about repetitive grooves and breakdowns. Instead, these guys stick to the traditional heavy-hitting riffs of early Suffocation and Cryptopsy with hints of ABC-era Morbid Angel thrown in for good measure. The drums aren't the most technical or varied in the history of death metal, but Dominus offers more than just blastbeats and floods. His rhythmic style adds to the overall catchy appeal of the band, although at times the overall sound comes off kind of light. Probably because the bass isn't really prominent, even with Blacha receiving a few moments in the spotlight. It would be great if they rectified this issue next time around, as this album would benefit immensely from a more audible and heavy bass.

The songs race by, averaging about two-and-a-half minutes and clocking in for a grand total of half-an-hour - barely enough to be considered a full-length. Reading this review alone will probably take you well into the third track. This works rather well for the band, however, as they keep the filler to a minimum and focus on writing the riffs they want without having to worry about reaching a specified total length. They don't concern themselves with overly complex riffing, or genius guitar solos either: just straightforward crushing death metal with a brutal edge.

If you're looking for a new death metal album that won't fuck with your head or take a dozen spins to "get", and you've already grown tired of Sedition and The Anomalies of Artificial Origin, then Serve No One is the album for you.