A scene in Sam Dunn’s Global Metal is one that I mention often; Dunn, a self administered anthropologist, questions Tengkorak on the potential inconsistency between the band’s radical anti-fascist leaning and their aversion to Zionism. Whether or not one considers the latter view offensive, the question is utterly ridiculous. Dunn would seem to apologize for metal by smoothing out its edges, and allowing his documentaries to characterize metal culture as a global community, unified, resulting to paint contentious ideals as aberrant and unwanted in a glorified juvenile fantasy. Regardless of the film’s failings, it does place a focus on metal’s historical and geographical filter; while it is merely an unspoken constant throughout, third world grind, thrash, and death bands since 1985 had all ears on Florida. While any resident of any nation is welcome to learn blast beats and pinch harmonics, metal is fundamentally a Western phenomenon in origin. Before this digresses into a study of a third rate doco, it is worth noting that Dubai metal act Nervecell appeared briefly in it. Here too is a band that embodies a safe approach to international metal, which in a sense is their biggest goddamn problem.
Lifeforce Records is a healthy example of the international approach. Here we have a German based label that is responsible for culling acts from even the rarely clicked corners of Google Earth. Regardless of geography, each band in its roster generally adheres to a specific Lifeforce sound: Gothenburg tinged thrash with elements of death and core tendencies. While releasing Preaching Venom last year, Nervecell’s third effort was an overabundance of melodic death metal and punchy metalcore, fully pre-packaged in the Lifeforce mold: and for all the dull (albeit proficient) elements of Preaching Venom, there is a very base uniqueness.
Like Tengkorak’s contradiction, Nervecell worship Netherlands riffing and New York windmilling, while track one says otherwise. “As They Reign And Slither” is an acoustic palisade of complex riffs, all of which bleed assurance and familiarity within the band. It is tricky to express how in fact second track “Vicious Circle Of Bloodshed”, a striking flurry of blast beats and breakdowns, feels less confident than the sombre acoustic piece… Far be it for me to analyze Middle Eastern musical history, let alone the United Arab Emirates’, but there is a distinct cultural impact on “As They Reign And Slither”. No, this is not a ‘metal-ifcation’ of stereotypical ‘Arabian themes’ interpreted by Californians; there is something ancient and culturally essential about the track, and one that feels the most honestly constructed. You can only imagine my pain when hearing a jun-wee breakdown four minutes after.
A unique quality is again found on “Ratios”, and the re-recorded “Vastlands Of Abomination”. Closer “Existence Ceased” exhibits slender leads that only a decade’s worth of experience can bring. Why then is there such a poor grasp of breakdown centric metal invading every other track? Why is there such obvious pandering towards a boringly Western formula that somehow bypasses homage? To answer once again, we have a growing want for metal’s challenging aspects to be diminished. Sure, the testosterone and counter-culture political sentiment is edgy, but only advertised in a kitschy mode. Face it, metal is fucking cute now, charming and anecdotal… And yet here is a forum of music that would once welcome the disturbing, demanding, bold. Nervecell in no way embody or deserve the brunt of this general social critique, but I do feel that Preaching Venom could have been a challenge… And yet here they have a forum of music that would support it. A challenge in the best possible way.
(5.0/10)
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