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By JEFF MAKI
Tampa, Florida's Paths of Possession is most known for vocalist George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, who also fronts the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. Cannibal Corpse has built a large following with their brand of brutal death metal and gore-infested lyrics. Paths of Possession, while still a death metal act, plays an entirely different style.
The End of the Hour is a concept album dealing with the horrors of war. It delves into much deeper territory, but that is the basis. The backdrop is a combination of melodic death and thrash metal, a contrast to Cannibal Corpse. This band is extremely heavy; this isn't Fisher's attempt to go commercial by any means. The sound is more rooted in melodic Swedish death metal than Floridian death. The guitars, courtesy of Jay Fossen and Jack Goodwin, are in constant melodic progression, often with dueling harmonies similar to the Scandinavians. Fishers growls and screams lyrical themes of emptiness and confusion. He seems to be questioning a number of things, such as the need for war and the end of mankind as we know it. I think there is some sort of anti-war message here. “The End of the Hour” is the standout track. It's a mid-paced, anthemic thrasher with precision riffs and a mechanized drum sound. Fisher also gives his most varied vocal performance, making it all the more memorable.
Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal) produced this album and it has a different vibe than his other work. Instruments have more separation and we don't get the huge wall of noise to which many death metal fans are accustomed. Its overall sound somewhere in between Metallica's ... And Justice for All and Carcass's Swansong. This is one of those albums that could have been released in 1992 or yesterday. Let's not give “Corpsegrinder” too much praise here. After all, making a switch from brutal death metal to melodic death metal is not that much of a stretch. The End of the Hour is not the most exciting or original album, but I like the lyrical themes and style of this band. They're not instantly recognizable, but Paths of Possession does well in separating itself from the rest of the pack.
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