Ripper "Experiment of Existence"

    The extreme metal music passion that comes from South America is quite amazing. A fair amount of bands I have reviewed for this blog have been from South America and the quality is usually top notch. Ripper, a group of Chilean death thrashers, are yet another band who skillfully blend a variety of extreme metal influences, while demonstrating tremendous talent for an up and coming act. 

    Their new full-length album, “Experiment of Existence,” is an extreme metal fan’s every wicked dream, especially if they happen to enjoy sinister science fiction/space related lyrical themes. I personally notice the death metal qualities in their sound, but I would say that the riffs can convey an old school thrash style at times. One area of the album that gives the band a unique musical flavor is the bass playing. If you enjoy those first couple Atheist albums or the bass sound on Death’s, “Human,” Ripper’s bass player follows in those footsteps. His bass solo which is track number eight, “Chromatic Fantasy,” is a brilliant sounding exploration of technical bass playing. 

    Overall, the band has one solid soul crushing sound and the first couple songs, “Magnetic Solar Storms,” and “Anthropophagic Life,” establish a monstrous sound of technical riffs and furious double bass drum rhythms. Ripper’s singer growls over the musical storm of extreme sounding chaos with a vocal style that reminded me of how Mike Browning sounded on the first Nocturnus album. The instrumental presentation is impressive and I really like how they pieced out the vocal parts.  Also to make note of is the lead guitar playing, which throws in these exciting moments of technicality and note shredding insanity. 

    Now, Ripper is not just another one of your straightforward intense riff pumping bands. They have a progressive rock and metal mind when writing their songs. The album’s title track, “Experiment of Existence,” begins with these calm sounds of nature and then morphs into a brutal old school death metal sounding assault. Their style of songwriting that can be very dynamic at times, definitely gives the album a unique presentation. 

    The band maintains their extreme science fiction themed music as the album reaches the mid point with tracks like, “Stellar Evolution,” and “The Alpha Orionis.” One of my favorite tracks on the album, “Spherical Energy,” contains those powerful bass riffs and those moments really intensify the music. The guitar playing is down right unforgiving as the band gallops through different riffs of pure sounding evil. Finishing off the album, “Humanity Was Wrong,” leaves listeners with an ominous sounding message. Musically the band does not disappoint and the lyrics vividly standout when the singer growls them out. 

    I do not know what it is about those South American metal bands, but they can sure release some amazing sounding albums. Ripper is yet another young band who takes old school death and thrash metal to create high quality extreme recordings. Also, the lyrics deviated from your usual Satanic themes that I find young bands tend to over use. On a final note, I recommend this album to all metal fans who are riff loving enthusiastic headbangers and desire lyrics that don’t just keep on repeating, “Hail Satan,” for about twenty minutes. 

Band's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ripperchileoficial/