This morning I listened to the Trojan / Enmity split, released a few days ago on 10’ vinyl via the Underground Syndicate label. Those of you who follow my reviews will know that I've already written reviews of Enmity's Demagoguery and ReEvolution (EP). This split allowed me to discover Trojan, an Indonesian band formed in 2007 who play brutal death metal.
The first part of the split is made up of two Trojan tracks, Aniconism and Anomalous. From the very first seconds, you're plunged into brutal, hard-hitting death metal, carried along by a massive rhythm. A few moments of calm emerge, notably at 2:53 on Aniconism, providing a welcome contrast. The second track Anomalous picks up the pace even more, with the bass very much in evidence (as it is on both tracks). At 2:07, a mysterious and intriguing passage begins, followed by muffled guttural grind vocals, massive growls and a precisely executed solo. ((I will explore the band's discography over the next few days)
The second half of the split is taken up by Enmity, who present a more classic death metal sound. The two tracks, Evolution of Self-Destruction and ReEvolution, are taken from the ReEvolution EP released in 2024 (read my review about the EP here). Unlike the first part of the split, Enmity's style is more nuanced, alternating tempos and varying vocal performances. The pace is fast and incisive, with a growing intensity. I particularly enjoyed the songwriting on these two tracks.
Anuways, this split offers a fine balance between Trojan's frontal brutality and Enmity's more diversified compositions. A recommended release for worshippers of death metal!