The last years I had made two reviews on albums by Italian death metal groups. This is something I never believed I would state. But Natron is not any random Italian death metal group. Natron is one of the oldest death metal groups in Italy and considered to be the godfathers of the genre in their country, but this is not a full length album. This CD is an anniversary release for celebrating the 20 years of their existence.
And as an anniversary album there is not a single one new song. But it is not either a live album neither a best of compilation. Natron in this CD re-arrange and re-record some old stuff of them. The selected items for this rerelease are from the “Unpure” EP and from “Hung Drawn And Quartered”. Yes, you have guessed right. They play grind/death metal as the title of the release declares. The rotten sound that grinding the speakers in 1996 and 1997, the years of the two previous releases, have disappeared and the modern sound is here. Sound and clear yes, but not any original ideas are listenable. Personally I think that I prefer the sound of the first releases. It was rawer than today, yet with the grinding feeling was clearer.
They are technically perfect. All you can ask from a death/grind metal band is here. Fast tempo drumming, distorted guitars growls that makes your speakers and ears aching from the power. The sound of the drums would have been great if there wasn’t the triggering on the snare drum so excessive. That is my only objection. Otherwise the guitars are great and admirably played as well as the bass that is distinct. The solos are crazy enough for this kind of death metal. The samples from horror movies are putted excellent on the right spots and they are giving the right atmosphere on the songs.
The last song is a new recording for Natron, but it is not theirs. “Dead Shall Rise” is recorded to pay tribute to their grindcore influences. The Terrorizer cover song is an excellent finale choice for an anniversary CD called “Grindermeister. I believe that the fans of Cannibal Corpse, Sinister and Suffocation will love them. But do not get confused by the low rating. It is not a new full length after all. What it is for me to rate?