AFFLICTION – Execution Is Necessary

The Turkish Metal scene has been developing since the late 1980s which then was led by Pentagram (a.k.a Mezarkabul), which came out in 1987 and formed the foundation. Since the beginning of the 1990s a flow of bands, like Knight Errant and company, from all sub-genres of Metal had created a strong yet still evolving scene. Affliction, from the city of Izmir, is a part of this flow of bands since their formation year in 1998 by two good friends.

The band’s history began to take shape when two friends formed it in their first year of their schooling as a fun hobby. After the band recruited their bass player, they decided to take it to the next step on becoming something in the Metal world and in the Turkish Metal scene in particular. The path they chose in Metal is a sort of Melodic Death Metal mixture with Modern Thrash Metal. For example, take Perzonal War and Dark Tranquility and mix them together – the result is a melodic modern Death / Thrash riffed music with Mikael Stanne mimic vocals.

Mentioning Dark Tranquility is important in Affliction’s history because they shared a stage back in 2001. Also you can hear that many elements from the Swedish band were infused into the band’s style of playing. In 1999, without even a demo out, Affliction signed with Poem Productions an indie label. Four years later, the band’s first album, One Reality, is out on the streets, receiving positive criticism. Two years after the debut the foundations for their second album were set and in 2007 , Execution Is Necessary was released continuing the aggressiveness of Modern Thrash with the cool melodies of Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal salvos under the guidance of a well deserved producer and a good sound mixer.

For a Death Metal band, Affliction’s music is common to many other bands playing with a series of melodies. One thing that they can be proud of is that they share some good pieced solos, which not many Melodic Death bands use because many put their trust upon their melodic riffs and touches. Moreover, the band, in several songs, uses external keyboards as a colorful atmosphere to add more feelings to their music. As a Thrash Metal band, Affliction is putting up the speed and brutality of Perzonal War and Exhorder with the utmost efficiency. Modern Thrash Metal has its resemblance to the New School Death Metal so regarding riffs there is almost a pure resemblance but Affliction’s main address is Death Metal.

In general view, Affliction’s Execution Is Necessary is a good album but not original. There are many bands out there who try to mimic the old Gothenburg style of playing and it’s okay to preserve it. But Affliction’s approach is similar to Dark Tranquility. They use the Thrashy fast, mayhem speedsters that the Swedish band used in their wild days. In addition, the sound of Affliction is like Dark Tranquility’s sound of the present. The thing that you can’t compare between these two groups is the fact that Affliction has its Thrash Metal roots within while Tranquility had their classic Death Metal roots that were steps away from Thrash and managed to make something new on their own.

Highlights on this one: “Chaos Of Two Thousands” , is a Tranquility song with almost the same riffs as their early days , “Retribution” , the opening killer , is a more Modern Thrasher, even a bit Metalcoric in the vein of the late In Flames.
“The End” was first introduced on Metal Express Radio’s W.Y.A.T program. This one is a mixed tempo Thrash Metal destructor with a clean vocal section and a cool melody. “The Question” has an interesting chorus and flows with groovy riffs and fine melodies. “Hollow” is a bit heavier than the others with a small keyboard covering a moody demure. Basically, it’s another Thrasher with a darkened theme. “The Cause” is the fastest of them all, Modern Speed / Thrash at its finest hour. “WWW” and “Dark Side Of Creation” are two more groovy tunes with heavy riffed lyrical sections that empowers the vocalist. Both are not alike but they share the same elements. “Raven” mixes some core grooves with Thrash Metal, for the ones who don’t like the mix , take a peek at the atmospheric chorus and its melodic riffing.

Execution Is Necessary is quite a good release that is not less than any other European Melodic Death Metal acts. Affliction is a part of an ongoing Metal scene that will thrive even more in the future. Their third album is well expected.