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I have to say, it's about time this recording was released, because my two-song, burned demo was beginning to feel the wear and tear of a year and a half's time of consistent playing. Having been listening to Nehemiah for a couple of years now, and seeing them blossom from a local metalcore band into a nationally known, fully metallic powerhouse, it's wonderful to see their music released properly on Uprising Records. And, while I might be slightly biased, I can't imagine that most fans of American metalcore, with the emphasis on the metal side, wouldn't like "The Asphyxiation Process."
Much like earlier Darkest Hour music or, say, The Agony Scene, Nehemiah has a pretty solid grasp on the thrashy metal that bands like At The Gates and The Haunted have popularized in years past. The guitar riffing doesn't repeatedly strike at the speed of light, a force that Darkest Hour utilized on their most recent recording, but it is fast, and a strong demonstration of the musical talent lying in Nehemiah guitarists. The songs aren't always blazing by, either, as Nehemiah tends to unearth their roots as an American-based metalcore band through some stomping, pit-friendly breakdowns. One of the more notable aspects of Nehemiah's sound, though, is their dual-vocalist assault. With one set of pipes handling the raspy, high-pitched screams and another belting out inhuman growls, the band's sound is enhanced in that it carries a more distinct, "evil" tone.
Being that two songs, the title track and "Awaiting Eschiel," comprised the band's last demo recording, "The Asphyxiation Process" contains music that originates from many parts of Nehemiah's career. As the newer songs indicate, the band isn't afraid to venture into the territory of epic songs, with the opener, "Dead In The Wake" clocking in at almost seven minutes, and "A Virgin Burial" at almost eight. Luckily, it isn't a difficult task to stay attentive during the songs in their entirety, especially with some pulverizing breakdowns helping to build anticipation, grooves to regain your breath, and enough guitar melodies to keep the music from becoming overbearing.
"The Asphyxiation Process" is a solid, metallic debut recording. With songs coming from different points in Nehemiah's life, almost as interesting as the album's music itself is trying to fathom what direction the band will take next. It feels good to finally have a full-length Nehemiah album in my collection, and I simply can't wait to hear this band progress and evolve into their next stage. Metal and metalcore fans should take note, as Nehemiah's future looks bright... although dark and grim might be more fitting.
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