You see that art, and be honest with me—you think this is going to be an old-school Death Metal trip. What if I told you that you’re wrong? That for once, the art lies. Wouldn’t that make you curious? Well, Open Kasket still plays your expected extreme Metal with a hammer, but Trials of Failure is hoping to surprise us in more than one way. And though, at this point, I feel nothing could surprise me anymore, I’m willing to believe!
It’s difficult to go through Trials because, despite how much Death Metal lore there is in here, I’m not the biggest fan of anything “-Core,” as you know. So, the band did manage to surprise me in one area: the insane amount of breakdowns and dry riffs on every track. In fact, there were moments where I wondered if the album was just an excuse to throw every breakdown known in the world and see how they all fit together. It might sound strange, but it does achieve a sledgehammer-heavy feel, so I’ve gotta give that to these guys.
I know I already kind of jumped the gun by starting with the riffing, but the vocals also deserve some attention. They’re just straight-up savage, caveman shouting that elevates the overall fury of Trials. Without them, this would be an aimless exercise in groovy riffs, but thanks to this wild approach, the album ends up having more flavor. It’s like when you dip your fries in BBQ sauce—they were fine before, but now they’re an awesome way to clog your arteries. Now, as much as I like my guilty pleasures, I ought to remain balanced in this review.
It’s going to be obvious what I’m about to say here, but the album is substantially focused on one note. As the final track demonstrates, Open Kasket is capable of so much more contrast. I’d love to hear more of that dynamic interplay between all these obsessive breakdowns and the meditative softness of the last track. If that were spread throughout the album, I’d be such a die-hard fan by now. But I get it—for many of you, the blood needs to be spilled constantly. So, it ends up just being a matter of variety.
Trials was a fun listen and a way to force myself out of my comfort zone. You should do that here and there—it’s good for the soul, rotten by all the office hours and waiting lines. I might not have been all in, but I certainly think Open Kasket has potential, and it’s only now starting to scratch the surface. Also, did I mention this thing is loud? But in a good way? Sometimes, that’s actually possible. Miracles happen in the life of a reviewer if one reviews long enough.
Freaking ferocious!
Label: Barbaric Brutality Records
Release date: February 7, 2025
Website: https://www.facebook.com/openkaskethc
Country: USA
Score: A battered 3.0/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 