Metal Underground.com

Denmark’s The Cleansing is death metal 24/7 on their sophomore album, “Feeding The Inevitable.” There isn’t much more to the band than that, which is not a problem for this quintet. Coming from the country that gave us Hatesphere and Panzerchrist, The Cleansing has their fingers on a tried-and-true template that reaps them great benefits. “Feeding The Inevitable” is far from perfect, but has just enough going for it to gather the attention of a death metal fanboy or fangirl.

The band channels a band like Morbid Angel on these nine tracks, though doesn’t get up to the speed of that legendary group. The tempos vary between an upbeat rush of aggression and a mid-tempo wrenched in dark splendor. Songs like “Law of Reciprocity” and “A Cheating Progression” don’t bother sticking to any criteria, as the band tries to be a little more careless with their death metal. It’s a thrill not heard on the rest of the album, which seems to restrain itself as things start to get crazy.

The band seems to pattern each song after the first two on the album. Heavy riffs and bloodthirsty growls wash over “The Promethean Promise,” while a sliver of melody enters the fray on “Third Eye Starring.” Melody isn’t on the band’s list of high priority, but some of the most memorable parts of the album are when it comes into play. “Processed For Contamination” is an excellent moody piece that has a bunch of clean melodies and a creeping pace. Placing “Law of Reciprocity” after it is like a Ric Flair chop to the chest.

A few decent leads by guitarists Jeppe Hasseriis and Andreas Lynge are about as exciting as the music gets. The bass is non-existent and the drums keep time, but do little in spectacular feats. The songs glide by, and with the exception of a number of vicious riffs and “Processed For Contamination,” the songs are marked by a lack of depth. Nothing latches onto the listener with the force of a Cannibal Corpse or Deicide song.

Death metal is so jammed with bands and content that an album like “Feeding The Inevitable” is bound to pass by many. The Cleansing’s second album doesn’t deserve such a cruel twist of fate. It’s very traditional by nature, and a well-rounded effort from the Danish group. However, it simply doesn’t have the lasting value that a death metal album like Disma’s “Towards The Megalith” has. “Feeding The Inevitable” is only suited for fans of the band’s first album, “Poisoned Legacy,” or somebody that must have everything that the genre has to offer.