Arizona metal band
Gatecreeper
walk a relatively straightforward path on their third album,
Dark Superstition
, sticking to thrashing riffs, anguished growls, powerhouse drumming, and all the other signature elements of classic death metal. It's a lean, no-frills presentation of well-written, neatly structured songs with dialed-in harmonizing guitar leads and tight dynamics that recall the greats of metal history. Lean and streamlined without becoming too slight,
offers up slower, more simmering moments, like midtempo burner "The Black Curtain," and elsewhere evokes
Master of Puppets
levels of technicality and composition on "Caught in the Treads." ~ Fred Thomas