Echidna

When I listen to the Greek outfit Echidna. I suddenly really feel like playing Death's 'Leprosy'. On their self-released debut 'Manifests Of Existence' these Greeks come close to that fine balance between extremity, technique and a progressive whim on that classic album, but at the same time they are not quite there yet. What Echidna misses is a clear sense of direction and poignancy in their compositions. Apart from the fact that many an intro and outro goes on for far too long (the two minute four-note guitar doodle that ends the record, for instance, is more than obsolete), there are just a couple of songs in which the death metal parts and the more introspective quiet parts blend seamlessly and logically. On a technical level, however, this band can compete with the best, with bass player Nikos Metaxas clearly a cut above the rest: has anyone ever checked whether Steve DiGiorgio has a Greek bastard son? Anyway, if Echidna gets the time for their compositional talents to ripen, they might be the next big thing for fans of Death, Atheist and Cynic.

Rating: 70/100

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