Age of Disgrace is the debut full-length album of Belgian death-metallers Pestifer, a release destined to please fans of all things tech-death and progressive.

Pestifer’s particular sound is a balancing act between pure brutality and precise riffs and solos, with groovy bass quite audibly in the mix. The speed, heaviness, and technicality are all present, but they tend not to go overboard on either one. The good news is the song structure is more focused and isn’t smothered in too much wild technical experimentation or blistering fast brutality (which other bands have done to a degree of absurdity). And the better news? This sets them slightly apart from the others in the pack, akinning them more to old-school Death and Atheist than to modern technical death metal bands.

The highlight of the album is most certainly the complex guitar work with loads of interesting riffs to please the ears. As for vocals, Pestifer keep to a mid to low range growl, a very solid vocal delivery that suits the music quite well.

The dynamics of the album could benefit from a bit more variety as heard in final track “The Clue, The Lie, and The Death” (I’m digging the melodic instrumental break), but ultimately, this is a superb release from a band with the tools to succeed. Currently these guys are unsigned but someone ought to take notice before long.

7.5/10

• Genre: Death metal, technical death metal, progressive
• Origin: Liège, Belgium
• Link: http://www.myspace.com/pestiferbe
• Year: 2010