Anybody who had the experience of flying a combat helicopter in the Gulf War should have a pretty good handle on what it's like listening to the Solid State debut of Spitfire. Since that's probably not many of you, though, you can compare it to Embodyment pretty easily, too. Lots of chaotic abrasive death-core type stuff, and done well.
The songs don't really appear to have any particular structure to them (certainly no verse/chorus/verse/chorus), except for playing as many riffs as possible. Some may suggest that this disrupts continuity, but I say it keeps the songs fresh and interesting. Really, you better be listening carefully, because if you miss a cool section the first time, it probably won't be coming back. The vocals are handled in a variety of ways, from your standard fare screaming and yelling all the way to quasi-singing in a couple parts. Most of the time the effect is more or less similar to Embodyment, and on occasion I'm reminded of Jason from Overcome and the way he spits out a phrase or two with an almost chant-like quality. The drums are generally relentless, although (unlike Embodyment, as far as I've noticed) they do relax a little bit on the slower parts. The band is very good musically, and they also have some very creative riffs and passages. As far as lyrics go, I couldn't make heads or tails of about 2/3 of them, but don't blame Spitfire for me being dumb.
Ok. So this isn't Embodyment. It's a different band, and there are subtle differences. But I'm willing to bet that as well as you liked Embrace the Eternal, that's just about how well you'll like The Dead Next Door.
8/10
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #78Reviewed by Ben MengdenWith each listen, this album shows the intricacies which are the strength to this style. The name fits the band well. The vocals are aggro and fiery. Very mature hardcore vocals with enough growl and pitch to remind the listener of grind and death metal. And the guitar equals the vocals. Amazing changes... These guys will probably get compared to Embodyment about a bazillion times, but Spitfire…Exit Zine 1999Reviewed by John SantThese guys are definitely innovative and have created a genre that is completely their own. It's an odd combination of off-time drumbeats coupled with melodic, chugging guitars. And while this sounds pretty standard, it isn't at all. Sadly, this doesn't save Spitfire from creating one too many songs that plod along to the end. This band has SO much potential, it's insane. There's innovation…Art for the Ears 1999Reviewed by Marco PovervestHere's another metalcore product from the Solid State Records roster. Compared to other bands from the label, Spitfire can be described as a cross between Embodyment and Training For Utopia. It has the diversity of riffs that succeed each other from Embodyment. It has the chaotic structures from TFU. Sometimes there are fast parts as fast as the speed of light (like Embodyment) but most of the…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Justin W. JonesIf madness and poetry were to produce children, their children would be Spitfire. This trio from Virginia Beach doesn't sound very nice ... or do they? That's the problem with this album: just when you think you've figured out their style, the band stops and switches it up. For the most part, The Dead Next Door is hardcore music with raging vocals, scorching guitars, and melodic bridges. I think…Dead Zine 1999Reviewed by thOrNFrom the east coast comes angst-filled metal-core. Spitfire has been around for quite some time but have only recently been picked up by a "major" label. You may have heard a song off this disc on the This Is Solid State sampler that came out awhile back, but let me tell you now, that song is one of the least listenable on the album. I have no idea why that song "Render Quench Create" made it…Dead Zine 1999Reviewed by UnknownI bet a lot of you have heard the Steadfast Radiowaves & Gibberish comp. Yep, that had SPITFIRE on it. I am afraid that if your excuse for not buying The Dead Next Door is that you didn't like the song on the Steadfast cd, then you need to find a new one. This sounds like a totally different band. Solid State made no error in signing this amazing three-piece metalcore act. Now that I have that…Similar sounding releases
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