Over the years, New York has produced some of the most brutal and influential bands in the death metal genre, including Immolation, Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, and Skinless. With the abundance of hardcore bands in the area, it should come as no surprise that some of hardcore’s aggression found its way into the death metal arena. Just listen to the breakdowns on early Immolation and Suffocation records, if you don’t believe me.

Moravia, New York’s NilExistence is another excellent example of this, as can be heard on their debut release, Existence In Revelation. “The Quietus” is an excellent opening track which sets the mood immediately with anguished screams, coupled with a sound clip from a movie. When the music kicks in, it’s like a shotgun blast to the gut, with pounding drums and furious guitar riffs, with a slightly melodic edge that reminds me of Nile. The brutality never really lets up as the album chugs along; NilExistence often remind me of the best parts of Suffocation, Immolation, and even Nile, though they aren’t necessarily derivative of any of those bands. “Primordial Transgression” nails exactly what I’m talking about here; the riffs are savage, with a healthy dose of hardcore mixed in, yet it’s also technical and complex.

You could almost call NilExistence a deathcore band, though that label usually evokes images of skinny jeans-wearing, neck tattooed, pig-squealing Warped Tour metal. The emphasis on Existence In Revelation is firmly placed on death metal, though there are notable hardcore influences that can be heard throughout the album as well. So, in that sense, deathcore isn’t a wholly inaccurate description of the band, though it doesn’t paint the full picture. With a solid production (I really enjoy the effective use of sound clips on this record, it really adds a lot of atmosphere), excellent musicianship, it’s only a matter of time before NilExistence begin making some serious waves in the underground.