Band:	Neaera
Album:	Omnicide - Creation Unleashed
Style:	Melodic death metal, Metalcore
Release date:	May 22, 2009
A review by:	itsjoeymoose

01. I Loathe
02. Prey To Anguish
03. The Wretched Of The Earth
04. Grave New World
05. Age Of Hunger
06. Caesura
07. Omnicide
08. In Near Ruins
09. The Nothing Doctrine
10. I Am The Rape

One word could simply be used to describe Omnicide-Creation Unleashed: Unrelenting. From the first hit of the snare drum to the fading guitars that signify that end, these Germans are on a mission to keep proceedings fast and heavy all throughout the album. This is one ride, however, that certainly could have done with a few pit stops along the way.

Their 4th album in only five years, Neaera's latest offering tries a little too hard to keep the pedal to the metal. Every track featured on Omnicide... is medium to fast paced and jam-packed with double bass drums and speedy riff work, while vocalist Benjamin Hilleke screams out his sauerkraut and bratwurst filled stomach. One thing is for sure, Neaera aren't short of ammo in the lyrical sense, with a nice take on what is wrong in the world in 2009.

Totally true to the album title and stunning artwork, OCU probably isn't the most diverse or unique album you'll hear, but it does succeed in creating straightforward, face-smashing melodic death metal with the occasional black metal moment. A progressive build up or a slower, ambient moment here and there definitely wouldn't have gone astray, as there's too much focus on cramming each song with as much velocity and melody that there's sometimes little room to breathe.

Tracks like the openers "I Loathe" and "Prey To Anguish" are of a superb quality that German melodic death bands have a certain talent for. The brilliantly titled "Grave New World", "Age Of Hunger" and "Omnicide" showcase a band with some great ingenuity, however it's "Caesura" and the final two songs where they audibly seem to have run out of steam and new ideas.

In some ways Heaven Shall Burn's little brother, Neaera have written some songs that are outstanding in their delivery, but others that simply drag, resulting in an inconsistent final product. Omnicide-Creation Unleashed does have its moments and features some neck-breaking passages, but every now and then there's certainly a dip in the fire that fuels this German hate machine.