Reaptile – Humanidead CD (Various Labels)

I thought this cold weather deserves some heavy sonic background, so this particular release came in handy for this occasion. It has been a while since I heard about this band, but somehow I always put it aside until I stumbled upon a press release about one of their singles. Damn, it sounded so good I immediately wanted to check out more, and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Once you check out their debut full-length, you’ll know Reaptile are not joking around with their tunes. Humanidead includes everything you dearly love about heavy music, but even when you listen to the entire release, you’ll repeat it because it is so damn good.

Humanidead carries thirteen exceptional compositions suitable for anyone into extreme underground music. Reaptile explores that nastier, darker, heavily distorted side of sludge metal, but as usually is the case, there’s more than meets the eyes. Besides sludge, you’ll notice healthy dosages of metalcore, hardcore, stenchcore, neo-crust, and other similar treats that go hand in hand with the sheer dominance of sludge. The best part about this material is how Reaptile assembled all the properties of these complementary genres into a colossal slab of ear-appealing noise. You’ll even love this full-length from the bottom of your heart if you’re solely dedicated to just a particular genre from the list I mentioned above. What surprises me the most is the mindblowing amalgam of ideas invested into each composition, and even though this material might sound enormously complex to some, it is actually a very easy-listening record full of hidden gems.

You’ll adore that thick layer of fuzzy distortion that pervades the listening apparatus from all possible sides. It complements these cleverly arranged riffs to the max, and although this full-length leans to the extremes, it also carries a dosage of melodies and harmonies along the way. Reaptile presented these qualities through those riffs in order to emit a distinctive ambiance during each composition. You’ll immediately notice the effort these guys put into these numbers and you’ll have many difficulties spotting any weak moments throughout the album. The lead vocalist sounds superb from scratch to finish. His wide range consists of screams, growls, and classic shoutouts, but the way he combines these technics unquestionably contributes to the aggression of this material even more. Of course, the rhythm section consisting of excellent basslines and profoundly energetic drumming sequences gives enough dynamics to break every bone in your body. Reaptile sounds like machinery threatening to wreck everything in the broader radius, and there’s no way you’ll not enjoy their debut if you’re into sludge metal and hardcore music. Humanidead comes on vinyl, CD, and streaming platforms. I highly advise you to pick up a vinyl version because these tracks must sound good on that format. Head to Hexerei Records, Throne Of Lies, Helldog Records, or Vinyl Troll Records for more information about ordering.