It’s been four years since “Verminous” and the TBDM camp has suffered greatly. Trevor Strnad’s passing left a crater sized hole not only in the band he helped create, but in the entire metal community as the group scrambled to figure out how to function and what to do next. But this is not a recap on the events of Trevor’s passing or a delayed obituary, but rather a peak into what resulted from the chaos that ensued.
We can start by recognizing that for any other band “Servitude” would be their magnum opus. An absolute stunner of a technical brutal death metal release, TBDM rips at breakneck speeds, delivering solo after solo while the lawn mower double bass keeps shredding away like your neighbor’s annoying landscaper. But this isn’t any other band, it’s a follow up release and the outfit’s tenth album. So can it ever actually outdo their classic era? Can this release peak the glory of “Ritual” and “Abysmal”? Records their fanbase declare as some of the genre’s finest? Arguably, I’d have to say that the answer is no.
But what is worth highlighting is just how fantastic the band sounds and what a great stand alone record “Servitude” is. Fans can’t expect the band to hang it all up because their singer passed, and they’re showing amazing promise in their continuity. With as much energy and creative execution that’s displayed on the album, it seems that perhaps more great records lay ahead. The fact remains that what’s left behind in TBDM’s rubble is more than a worthy group of musicians who somehow managed to outdo themselves and deliver a sensational release that stands proper in their catalog. Experiencing the loss of one of your closest friends is hard enough, there’s no need for them to lose their life’s work as a consequence.
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