OVEROTH may not be the most original Death Metal band in the world, but with the release of their debut EP, “Death Personified” – the Irish quartet give their performance all their heart. From the opening intro to the last track, OVEROTH will drag the listener through very brutal waters… At first listen, “Death Personified” may sound a little cliché because it doesn’t use a lot of initially catchy parts, but with continual listening the EP’s little nuances and details become more apparent. So the replay value of it is quite good even for people who may not enjoy Death Metal all that much. There is nothing that is going to reset the standards or even really push the envelope here. OVEROTH stick to playing a traditional Death Metal but they do it very well. In fact, despite this being a debut, one could swear that they were seasoned veterans of the genre by the way they present the EP. The guitars are fierce and heavy as they tear through a variety of complex riffs. Even in the song, “Thanatos Rise” the guitars get pretty groove and swing oriented which hints at a little BOLT THROWER in the mix. The drums are a killer combination of speed, technicality, and complimentary song-writing as they burst through blast beats and almost jazzy variations. Once again, in true underground Death Metal fashion the bass lines are almost completely gone in the mix although they do pop up every once in a while. There are a few solos here and there on “Death Personified” (the ending to “Oath Of The Flesh” is quite good) and they even dabble with some duel soloing at times. But this is the one area where the band could even push it further. But they are still on a good path with their career. One of the most impressive parts of the album has to be vocalist Andy Ennis. His guttural roar is so natural sounding that it sounds as though it takes no effort for him to be that loud and brutal sounding. I was hoping that he would try a little more variety in his vocal style but he doesn’t – and it doesn’t hurt the music at all. OVEROTH may not be throwing themselves out the wolves on this EP but they definitely make a damn good first impression. Whether it’s their massive vocal sound or killer riffs there are many reasons why “Death Personified” should be in your collection. Songs to check out: “Death Personified”, “Oath Of The Flesh”, “Lord Of Desolation”.