Summer is now in full swing on this side of the hemisphere, and the heat is becoming increasingly unbearable. However, there is hope: there are some cool releases to look forward to and experience. One of the records I became curious about was Februus’ debut record, Surveillance Orgy, as it is part of a genre I love. Knowing nothing about the band I decided to dive into its waters and see what I could find at the bottom of the pool.

Surveillance Orgy starts off with the crushingly heavy “Gentrification of the Soul”, a track that immediately shows off Februus’ prowess with technicality. Each note, from the guitar to the drums, can be clearly heard, quickly becoming apparent that there is some impressive composition here. The song can shift from what sounds like old-school/traditional death metal to more apparent experimentation that highlights melodic playing and a groovier sound. It’s interesting to note that, for a first impression, this song comes out swinging, basically showing more of its technical nature, throwing significant amounts of sonic weight around. The second track, “Morning Star over Deathlehem”, while like the first track, showcases a more balanced output, shifting from a progressive sound to traditional death metal with fervor. It also becomes, for the lack of a better word, catchier – there is an impressive guitar passage around the halfway mark, making it distinct from the heavy weight it has thrown out.

As the album continues the music becomes more melodic and easier to recognize, as seen on the titular “Surveillance Orgy”, a track that melds the technical with the progressive. Here is where Februus allows us a glimpse of a completed picture, a semblance of finality that is yet to come. This track is the result of the three previous songs continuing to build on themselves until it pays off in a chaotic and intense sensory experience that acts as a segue into the closer. There is a reason why the line between technicality and experimentation is so thin: the instrumentation can change from knowing how to play an instrument very well to crafting one of the most memorable passages on a record. Finally, there is the closer, “Resignation Syndrome”, a behemoth of a track that runs for 14 minutes and rewards the listener with all of the experimentation that was sprinkled throughout the first four tracks. It’s a true sensory experience, using dissonance, atmosphere, and ambiance to create a different headspace for the listener. At some point, you will begin to notice that the music has gone quiet, before it slips back into death metal territory. It’s a wonderful, cohesive track, the price of admission after the overall intensity of the record.

However, despite my enjoyment, I think Februus has backed itself into a corner. While I don’t think it’s bad to have an idea and run with it, there is a possibility that Februus may have come out swinging too hard. Surveillance Orgy is a highly intense album whose technical prowess is a sight to behold, and it would be difficult to continue to offer this level of technicality without it falling apart or having significant missteps. I applaud this band’s ability to maintain its pace throughout, even on the more progressive aspects of the album, but I do believe that this may hinder its ability to experiment on future albums. After all, the line between experimentation and technicality is thin, and it may become easier to execute a fantastic solo with precision, rather than to foster new ideas and ways to implement outside influences into its musical structure. It also feels like the album is front-loaded with dissonance and harsh vocals – it weeds out listeners who might become uninterested in hearing the rest – but there should be some sonic differences in the dissonance to hold attention. I want to enjoy this album – and I do enjoy parts of it – but Surveillance Orgy feels more like an endurance test than an actual musical experience that I want to revisit again and again.

All in all, Surveillance Orgy is an album that suffers from its success as a well-crafted prog/tech death album. While its strengths are many, they are also its main weakness. As I previously mentioned, I liked parts of this album, and I would like to see some of these parts – especially the more “progressive” aspects – be further developed in future albums. There is worry that it has led itself into a hypothetical corner, but Februus shows incredible promise. There is no album out there like Surveillance Orgy, and those who love tech death will love this album.

–Hera

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Surveillance Orgy is available July 19 on Transcending Obscurity Records. For more information on Februus, visit their official Facebook.