Tech Death Thursday: Sophicide Share:

Commence the melting of the face!

I’m gonna try something different this week. Instead of just throwing 3 bands at you and giving a short description of each, which I feel doesn’t always do their music justice, I’m gonna focus on one band. It’s my hope that focusing more on a single band will help you all get a better picture of who they are as well as lighten the music load on your backs, because 2014 is a relentless onslaught of great music.

My test subject for this new format is Germany’s Sophicide. Sophicide writes some of the best tech-death I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. We’re talking Spawn of Possession good. They released their debut full length Perdition of the Sublime back in 2012 via Willowtip records, and it was easily one of the best albums of the year. Here’s the title track:

Perdition of the Sublime is one of those albums that makes me push learning the guitar to “later on.” They’re mind-bogglingly technical without sacrificing song structure, and the solos are so good that it’s almost surreal. The drumming is great too. Oh man, it’s just intense, relentless, perfection. This record also boasts some of the best production work I’ve ever heard in a tech death album. I mean, there’s good production, and then there’s GOOD production. This is the latter. Crisp, interesting riffs permeate the album, such as this one in “Art of Atrocity” (1:00 in the this Youtube vid):

As I mentioned earlier, the guitar solos really stand out. Each song on the album has a well placed, impressive as hell, how-the-heck-can-he-possibly-do-that, why-the-fuck-should-I-even-try-to-learn-guitar type solo that manage to fit right in to the structure of the song. I think that’s really important. It irritates me when a solo is just thrown in because the song needs a solo. It’s like when a restaurant gives you your fries and your burger on a separate plate. That’s a total waste of dishes! [Editor note: What the fuck are you talking about?!?! —MSD] Thankfully, this isn’t one of those bands. Sophicide makes one mean tech death casserole that will fill you up like a meal should and make a generous donation to the porcelain throne later on in the day. This band knows exactly where to place a solo, exactly how long it should last, and exactly how to execute it to perfection. I think “Lafayette’s Deception” is a perfect example of Sophicide’s guitar wizardry:

I don’t know when Sophicide will drop a new album, but I know it will be a good day when they do. Hopefully that day is soon. Like tomorrow would be nice. Please? You all should go give them money for their hard work.

Now, Legendaritroll M Shadows! has a guest submission for us:

“Hi! I really like this song! It has technical aspects! Um, I like the solo too! HYBHTTK? Ok bye! M Shadows!”

I don’t know what I expected… You guys see what happens when you don’t send actual guest submissions? Submit them! They don’t have to be new bands or unknown bands either, they can just be your favorite Demilich song or something.

Until next time, Stay Tech.

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