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Origin - Entity review



Reviewer:
7.5

170 users:
8.22
Band: Origin
Album: Entity
Release date: June 2011


01. Expulsion Of Fury
02. Purgatory
03. Conceiving Death
04. Swarm
05. Saliga
06. The Descent
07. Fornever
08. Committed
09. Banishing Illusion
10. Consequence Of Solution
11. Evolution Of Extinction
12. You Fail! [bonus]

American death tyrants Origin are here with their eagerly anticipated follow-up to 2008's beast of an album Antithesis. New vocalist Jason Keyser has joined the ranks, but stylistically the band have not deviated from their previous musical path. Entity is another unrelenting blunt-force trauma to the ears from start to finish, with all the technical and pulverising traits we have learnt to associate with the band.

Let's not kid ourselves though, Origin are a one-trick pony, and always have been. Their constant battery of almost unprecedented drum tempos are one of the sole attractions to this band. In a genre where pure speed and brutality is revered, Origin are the kings of the castle. The band are vastly talented musicians, but aside from the unparalleled drumming provide little beyond generic. The man-machine John Longstreth behind the drum kit blasts his drumming performance of a lifetime on Entity which is only accentuated by the crystal clear production, but becomes part of a wall of sound that is initially enjoyable, but within a few spins of the disc becomes just a little samey.

Vocals were never a large focal point of the band, and aside from a few higher-pitched screams, you wouldn't really notice or care that the band have a new guy growling at you. Origin with their technicality and blastbeat speeds are still a unique force in the death metal world, but Entity neither takes a significant step either forwards or backwards. Indeed it is safe to say that previous fans of the band will not be let down by this album, and likewise will not persuade any previous disparagers of the band.

This is a great album, but Origin are still yet to be able to produce an album where the rest of the musician's performances are as memorable as the drumming. At the end of the day however, it all comes down to which elements in death metal a person is turned on by. A speed-freak or someone seeking mindless brutality will lap this album up, but someone searching for more depth will inevitably not be gripped. Entity may be a little less interesting on the whole than Antithesis, but is a more refined and faster effort still. It is a good job that this pony is so enjoyable to ride! Heehaw.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 7
Production: 9





Written on 07.04.2011 by Member of Staff since 2006


Comments

Comments: 31   Visited by: 412 users
07.04.2011 - 03:37
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
I never look for depth with Origin, so I imagine I'll lap this up with no complaints.

I was curious to read how you thought Keyser performed though. Turns out you thought his addition was almost entirely irrelevant.

PS - This is being published incredibly early - any particular reason for that?
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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07.04.2011 - 03:50
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by Troy Killjoy on 07.04.2011 at 03:37

I never look for depth with Origin, so I imagine I'll lap this up with no complaints.

I was curious to read how you thought Keyser performed though. Turns out you thought his addition was almost entirely irrelevant.

PS - This is being published incredibly early - any particular reason for that?

I thought you preferred simplicity in your death metal, or at least thats what you shouted abt Lykathea haha. Origin is tech as fuck just like Lykathea, or at least imo they are. Anyway I was gona ask the same thing though this album dont come out til June how is it you have it this early Baz and can i get a copy off you by chance?! Pwetty pwease
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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07.04.2011 - 04:01
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by psykometal on 07.04.2011 at 03:50

I thought you preferred simplicity in your death metal, or at least thats what you shouted abt Lykathea haha. Origin is tech as fuck just like Lykathea, or at least imo they are. Anyway I was gona ask the same thing though this album dont come out til June how is it you have it this early Baz and can i get a copy off you by chance?! Pwetty pwease

Origin is a very simple band by my ears. Just mindless blasting and guitar wankery, but the song structures and progression isn't anything "deep" if you ask me.

As for Baz giving you a copy...good luck. The label sends him shit early because he's awesome. haha
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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07.04.2011 - 04:12
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by Troy Killjoy on 07.04.2011 at 04:01

Written by psykometal on 07.04.2011 at 03:50


Origin is a very simple band by my ears. Just mindless blasting and guitar wankery, but the song structures and progression isn't anything "deep" if you ask me.

As for Baz giving you a copy...good luck. The label sends him shit early because he's awesome. haha

ah i see then yes you are correct they are very simple in that they have no depth and the blasting and wankering is def a big bonus Well if Baz gets early promos then yes he truly is awesome t'would be nice to get copy but if its promos stuff from labels i aint gona beg cuz i wouldnt want Baz to lose that privelege...
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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07.04.2011 - 09:23
Rating: 8
BudDa

This is a must for me. Its Origin! I'll take the mindless brutality anyday.

"This is a great album, but Origin are still yet to be able to produce an album where the rest of the musician's performances are as memorable as the drumming". I don't think so. Mike Flores, their bassist, on the Antithesis album, was superb! I think hes sometimes very underrated. I have not heard or seen Origin live but from their records, they come off as a very tight band...and most of that in my opinion is attributed to Flores's ability to keep up with Longstreth
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Freeze! Step away from the hubris.
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07.04.2011 - 09:42
K✞ulu
Seeker of Truth
Thanks for the review. Describes the album well, and I know what to expect. And as I am not a fan of "mindless brutality," this album will remain unchecked. I am looking for something with a feel, classic death metal, but I guess one doesn't get that nowadays.
----
Savor what you feel and what you see
Things that may not seem important now
But may be tomorrow

R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner

Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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07.04.2011 - 14:56
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by K✞ulu on 07.04.2011 at 09:42

I am looking for something with a feel, classic death metal, but I guess one doesn't get that nowadays.

Not with Origin, but old school death metal isn't dead. Just ask Marcel for a list of modern "classic" death metal bands.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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07.04.2011 - 16:28
Thryce
Retired Staff
From what I recall from Hellfest '08, also their bassist is an unparalleled maniac. Either way, I don't come to Origin for a lesson in innovation, I come for the slab of br00tality (wouldn't call Origin mindless either). Anyway, color me stoked. Still curious to find out what the new (now old) vocalist is capable of though.
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Your favorite band sucks.
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07.04.2011 - 17:56
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by K✞ulu on 07.04.2011 at 09:42

Thanks for the review. Describes the album well, and I know what to expect. And as I am not a fan of "mindless brutality," this album will remain unchecked. I am looking for something with a feel, classic death metal, but I guess one doesn't get that nowadays.

i recently ran across a swedish band that has a real good nod to old school swedish death metal, and not the gothenburg style but like Dismember and the sort. Repugnant. id highly recommend checking out their 2006 album Epitome of Darkness, fantastic album. \m/
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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07.04.2011 - 20:30
K✞ulu
Seeker of Truth
Written by Troy Killjoy on 07.04.2011 at 14:56

Not with Origin, but old school death metal isn't dead. Just ask Marcel for a list of modern "classic" death metal bands.


Written by psykometal on 07.04.2011 at 17:56

i recently ran across a swedish band that has a real good nod to old school swedish death metal, and not the gothenburg style but like Dismember and the sort. Repugnant. id highly recommend checking out their 2006 album Epitome of Darkness, fantastic album. \m/


It's not that I am really interested in Death Metal. The thing is that I remember listening to some classic stuff like Death, Morbid Angel, and Obituary, and they are so different from today's Death Metal. I don't get this obsession with blast beats; however, Fleshgod Apocalypse's Oracles sounded interesting today.
----
Savor what you feel and what you see
Things that may not seem important now
But may be tomorrow

R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner

Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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08.04.2011 - 11:26
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by K✞ulu on 07.04.2011 at 20:30

Written by Troy Killjoy on 07.04.2011 at 14:56

Not with Origin, but old school death metal isn't dead. Just ask Marcel for a list of modern "classic" death metal bands.


Written by psykometal on 07.04.2011 at 17:56

i recently ran across a swedish band that has a real good nod to old school swedish death metal, and not the gothenburg style but like Dismember and the sort. Repugnant. id highly recommend checking out their 2006 album Epitome of Darkness, fantastic album. \m/


It's not that I am really interested in Death Metal. The thing is that I remember listening to some classic stuff like Death, Morbid Angel, and Obituary, and they are so different from today's Death Metal. I don't get this obsession with blast beats; however, Fleshgod Apocalypse's Oracles sounded interesting today.


There are loads of new old school death metal bands without blast beats and with loads of groove to their music. F.e. Gorephilia (which has Routa on guitar), Stench Of Decay, Undergang, Morbus Chron, Miasmal, Krypts, Burial Invocation, veternus, Mordbrand to name a couple.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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16.04.2011 - 00:44
Extreme Unction

I want to state this very clearly: I have an intense affection and excitement for monstrously complex song structures, delicately detailed long ranged melodic solos, intricately and intelligently composed complex riffs, huge varieties of musical arrangements, odd time signatures and colorful musical inspirations in technical death metal music I listen to; Spawn of Possession, Necrophagist, The Faceless, Decrepit Birth, Psycroptic and many more. Yet I wouldn't call them complex if I included the all genres of history of music as a whole.

This review and the mind-set that runs through it is fundementally wrong if not silly or amateurish as to artistic understanding of music. The very peculiar problem that this opinionative reviewer is this: He is listening to metal music, a music that hardly contains any kontrapuntal intricacy, devastatingly long song structures or abudance of partitions that one can only and mostly encounter in classical music. Indeed I mentioned many technical death metal bands and presented them as complex but if the mere desire to listen to music is for complexity or chaos then there are far more complex and sophisticated periods in Western classical music and one doesn't have to look into contemporary classical genres for this. Any piece of Bach -Baroque is now considered to be very old- is way more complex than most, if not all, of the metal music we listen to today. Take Art of Fugue, the one the old genius -also the old artist, the old scholar, the old saint- unfortunately couldn't finalize. It is so intense, deep and complex that most of the people who listen to homogeneous music as metal music would probably find it 'relaxing' (because he couldn't follow the intricacy of the variations of the theme and kontrpunctal patterns, he could only 'hear' to tones) but eventually label it boring. He would say it doesn't go anywhere. Yet if he could really follow the huge pattern behind it he would go mad. He wouldn't even look for any complexity in metal music anymore. Because of his musical experience is limited only with popular music he can't see the tremendous ocean of music behind it.

So if one is looking for complexity then it would be better for him to stop listening to Origin since they deliberately try to be simple, whole and homogeneous. But he would do much better if he avoids listening to metal altogether. The sheer intesity, aesthetic and artiness of metal comes from its homogeneous power. And again, I don't mean Black Sabbath only, I mean every metal band on this planet that compose double or triple partitions and play monstrously fast. They will always be simple and elementary comparing with high genres of classical music. Otherwise it simply shows your lack of understanding and education of music. Metal music isn't complex. Metal music is nursery rhymes comparing with Western classical music. It has never been complex and it won't ever be. The guitar is a very primitive instrument to compose and play complex music. Piano played by skillful hands easily walks over it, makes it bleed, cry out loud. Now imagine what symphonies would do.

Origin is this: Heavy metal. The term we use 'technical death metal' is a bit silly. Tech death metal bands hardly sound like each other regarding to complexity. We call them technical not because of their complexity but their ability to play fast. Origin indeed plays fast. But it is still heavy metal. It is heavy metal just like Black Sabbath. It is homogenous. Short songs, tremolo obsessive riffs, heavy use of repetitions... It is a simple mind-blowing aggression that screams the genius of integrality and wholeness. It captures the very spirit of heavy metal. It is the aesthetical unity of Thomas Aquinas. It is the harmony of universe. Take a look at their name again, read it, think about it, but a bit more carefully this time.

''Origin are a one trick pony, and always have been.''
Well, metal bands are nursery rhymes, and always have been.

''In a genre where pure speed and brutality is revered, Origin are the kings of the castle.''
In a genre where complexity is revered, classical music is the king of the castle. Metal is a boy toy.

''but aside from the unparalleled drumming provide little beyond generic.''
Metal is generic too. Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Atheist, Suffocation, Necrophagist, Death, At the Gates, Epica, Tristinia... They all sound the same. They all play the same. There is not any difference between them at all. I adore metal music but even a slightly elitist college student of conservatory of music would call it feeble music for feeble minds.

Since it is obvious that the reviewer has no understanding of the aesthetics of wholeness or complexity of musical genres or the spirit of metal, he would do much better with not writing reviews at all. He doesn't know what metal music is. His nazizm of complexity is an epic failure. Along with all people who label Origin bad.

And yes I'm a fanboy and I dig every microsecond of their albums. And I don't get bored. And anyone with a bit patience could easily see it offers tremendous enjoyment. This is no Goteborg melodic death. I would suggest anyone reading my message to listen to this band they are great.
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16.04.2011 - 00:57
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist


What just happened?!
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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16.04.2011 - 01:58
Baz Anderson

A big lol happened.
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16.04.2011 - 03:57
@gent_-_orange


Holy god damn.
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19.04.2011 - 16:28
ecent

Owned .
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http://www.last.fm/user/ecentrix
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07.06.2011 - 01:28
Daydream Nation
Account deleted
Written by Extreme Unction on 16.04.2011 at 00:44

Blah blah


...I thought I wrote long posts.
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09.06.2011 - 18:10
malienist

I'm not a big fan of technicality and i need more time to actually enjoy a tech death album but my gosh Origin entirely changed that mentality, a kick ass album to follow up their Antithesis. Since i heard the first 30 seconds of the track "Saliga" it has been on repeat in my media player. I don't really know the technical side of production but I find the tunes memorable and that is unlikely of me when it comes to technical death metal. I'll rate this album a solid 8.5/10 and it would probably be in my top albums of 2011.Kudos Origin!
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14.06.2011 - 21:58
Rating: 10
Tetravirulence

Certainly one of the best this year no doubt absolutely awesomeness and EXTEME UNCTION guy is a psychopath come on man why you compare one genre with another, one music to another is beyond my imagination
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26.06.2011 - 10:34
Rating: 9
Candlemass
Defaeco
Song writing really improved over previous efforts.
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02.07.2011 - 20:21
jibran92

Written by Extreme Unction on 16.04.2011 at 00:44


'Stuff'



Golly, you went rather far to justify Origin's appeal. Indeed you are a fanboy.

I have to say the your fanboyism kinda clouded your sense of rational thinking. A lot of the stuff you state is largely irrelevant.
Not to mention, you wasted a lot of time to complain about an opinion piece, because at its root, that's what a review is.
As an album, by itself, is it appealing? How about compared to others? Well that's subjective.

You also go to quite a length to insult the reviewer (and non-origin fans in general). No, I don't you think don't understand the spirit of metal yourself. Your understanding of metal is...really obscured by this mess of ideologies.

I don't think you understand the basics of context. The people that choose to read this/listen to this album won't generally take what you said into account. Not necessarily out of ignorance but because it doesn't weigh so heavily in their lives/perspective/whatever.
And interestingly, because of that the review accurately caters to the audience.
I think your biggest problem is that you can't comprehend that.

Anyway, just my two cents.

Also, that Aquinas reference was embarrassing to read. Sorry.


Origin - Entity
5.5/10
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04.07.2011 - 13:39
Rating: 8
Samuel
Hamster wheel
Like the original review for this album said if you were previously of a fan you will not be disappointed but I can see how it might be a bit much for someone to take in at once. You need to embrace the chaos...if that makes any sense... I fell in love with Origin for their drums only at first but after seeing them play live i have major respect for their bassist (mike Flores) he is crazy to see watch play
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14.07.2011 - 10:18
Daniell
_爱情_
Origin is the epitome of *"brutal" death metal - technical, lightning fast, convoluted. Totally mechanical, soulless, pointless. I can't really see an excuse for making such "music". It provides nothing to the listener beside an array of sounds randomly coalesced to form "songs." I listened to this album for old times sake (I did enjoy such music somewhere around the time when Nile released their first albums). It only made me even more sure that "brutal" death metal is the worst sub-genre of metal. It has reached a dead end and is closest to another, completely different genre of music - techno/trance (or what ever it's fucking called, I couldn't care less). It's equally soulless and mechanical, completely devoid of a human factor.

*I always use the term "brutal" in parentheses, because there's nothing really brutal about such music. "Stupid" would be a better word
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31.07.2011 - 16:38
Rating: 9
Enigma

This album deserves so much better rating. One of the albuns of the year!
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23.08.2011 - 14:36
Rating: 7
BloodTears
ANA-thema
I agree completely with the review and the rating.

That was exactly how I felt about the album. The drums and a couple of songs stand out for me, like "Saliga", "Commited" and "Consequence of Solution", but it doesn't make me want to listen to it over and over, and it isn't significantly new at anything.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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23.08.2011 - 14:59
Daniell
_爱情_
Written by Extreme Unction on 16.04.2011 at 00:44

Really long, convoluted and boring blah blah blah which I edited out


Dear sir. Your pseudo dissertation is so stuck-up, arrogant and offensive to non-fans of Origin, that the only thing I'd have to say to you would be: "Learn your fucking manners".

No matter how florid your prose is, it stinks of hate and arrogance. Please, don't post again.
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23.08.2011 - 15:03
Slayer666

Written by Extreme Unction on 16.04.2011 at 00:44

Pure awesomeness


Marry me, you sexy, intelligent, eloquent bad boy, you.
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28.09.2011 - 15:35
Rating: 10
AXA

Amazing album \../
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21.05.2012 - 17:05
Rating: 10
HenrikBrzn

Origin is anything BUT a one trick pony. Ive listened extensively to this since the day it came out and Im not bored, not one bit. The reviewer obviously had his (?) mind allready set when he popped the cd in the player.
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23.05.2012 - 04:28
Richard

I tend to prefer old-school Death Metal, but Origin do the whole modern hyper-fast blasty style exceptionally well IMO. Entity is their best one so far, and after a few listens, these songs are actually almost catchy in their own way, as opposed to just being a wall of technical blasting noise like Brain Drill or something.

I disagree that "vocals were never a large focal point of the band", as Origin often come up with interesting vocal patterns that add to the flow of the songs (actually the only Origin album I haven't bought is Antithesis as the vocals were totally buried in the mix).
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