Sakatat - "Bir Devrin Sonu" Review

One of the most debated topics in music is what constitutes as a full-length, and an EP. Where is the line drawn? What is the cut-off point where an EP can become a full-length. Some would argue that it's the actual length of the record, which is fair, others will tell you it's how many actual tracks are featured. Nowadays, it's made even more confusing and hard to tell. Gridlink have released two full-lengths, both not even reaching 15 minutes, and Sufjan Stevens released an EP in 2010 that reached an hour! I always thought that it was up to the artist to determine what their record should be labeled as. Take in point the new debut long player from Turkish mince-grinders Sakatat have entered the fold and probably frustrating a few curmudgeonly music fans by making it a staggering 8 minutes. Hold on to your butts, kiddies, this band wastes no time grinding the fuck out.

When it comes to grind that's on the more "mince-y" side, Sakatat were always one of the more advanced and polished of the bunch, and this record proves no different. The eight tracks on the album are all fast, visceral, and go right for the throat. It's refreshing to hear a band like this not just rehash a bunch of semi-fast, Agathocles style riffs. In fact, I would say that the band is pretty much past that style by now. They're more Insect Warfare than Archagathus by now. The band grinds out some serious riffs on here, and they all sound great thanks to the excellent recording. However, the album is far from perfect, as there are a few glaring issues that are hard for me to get past. First and foremost are the vocals. Performed well, yes, but I feel as if they were lazily written out. The main vocal pattern on here, for the most part, is a spaced out, two syllable bark ("Dur Dur!...Dur Dur!...Dur dur!..."), and it just keeps on repeating throughout most of the album. It really makes listening to the album kinda tedious, like I'm listening to the same song over and over again. Another thing is the drums, which can be pretty sloppy at times. There are a few moments where the drums are obviously decreasing in tempo during the blast beats. Even though these things may detract from making this album amazing, it's still pretty damn solid grind record. Definitely check it out, and try and pick up the single-sided 12" version if you can.

Rating - 7/10

~VII