Rambling Man’s Reviews introduces another exciting British Metal band this week. Death Assault is a quintet from Plymouth, England. Last week, they released their eleven-track, self-titled debut album. The release showcases modern metal characterised by harsh vocals, long, winding breakdowns, and goosebump-inducing riffs, reflecting a band on a serious path of destruction. They have been compared to Lamb of God and Slayer, particularly due to their groove-oriented riffs and aggressive vocals, as well as to Slipknot, which evokes a sense of having emerged from the metal scene twenty years ago.

Like many fast-emerging bands, they formed after the pandemic era in 2022, and they comprise of Darrell Baker (vocals), Bill Mander (guitar), Jake Ackrell (guitar), Wiktor Osiecki (bass), and Levi Spry (drums). The band follows up on their 2023 debut EP with a raw, unrelenting, and ferocious display of angst, anger, and frustration. Death Assault describes this album as a statement and a fair reflection of how they feel.

The EP begins with an ominous intro of a distorted monologue titled ‘The Masterpiece of Murder,’ which segues into blistering, full-throttle metal. “Ashes of Reality” and “Replaced” showcase a raw, in-your-face style of heavy metal characterised by groove-oriented riffs, intense screams, and pounding drums that elevate the album’s intensity to the maximum. The music is unsteady, featuring neck-breaking speed and an unnerving energy that strongly resonates with the audience.

Death Assault’s experiment heavily tuned-down guitars and melodic textures that feel like they are punching you in the stomach, while the vocals are a long stream of hellish pleas from a tortured soul. ‘Falling Down,’ ‘We Remain,’ and ‘Pro-Crisis’ blend harmonic guitar lines with ferocious vocals that rise from the stomach to amplify the band’s anger. I see the similarities with Lamb of God; their style is intense, with riffs chugging along like an army engaging in battle, as each bass line pummels alongside the drums.

The melodic instrumental breakdowns contribute to the unsettling atmosphere, as if a band is struggling with their demons. Some songs combine clean vocals with the chaotic nature of harsh vocals, as heard in ‘My Insanity, ‘ ‘ Forgotten, and ‘Winds of the Past, which feature intricate riffs designed to build in intensity until reaching an explosive climax.  This enables the band to create darker and more melancholic tracks while emphasising their melodic vocals.

Death Assault delivers a relentless assault on the ears with a deeply personal and intense style of metal, combined with melodic tracks that showcase the band’s need for expression.