Pennsylvania-based independent label Willowtip Records was established by Jason Tipton in the late ’90s. From humble beginnings, the label has stood the test of time, becoming one of the most respected and highly regarded record labels in the extreme metal scene. It takes something special to create a label with a consistently unfuckwithable roster of quality, innovative artists while retaining long-term integrity and durability. Willowtip is the self-proclaimed forward-thinking label, releasing a slew of modern classics and top-shelf albums that may have a lower profile but are more than worth your while.
This feature focuses on a pivotal early period in the label’s history that had a huge impact on my own extreme metal tastes. As such, I am highlighting some outstanding albums released by Willowtip between 2001-2006. Some are lesser-known; however, I will argue are must-listen releases from the label’s early golden era. I will skip over a couple of particularly pivotal albums from the period more suited for Yer Metal Is Olde honors; otherwise, it’s open slather. Welcome to the Willowtip Files.
It’s been a hot minute since we last delved into the treasured archives of The Willowtip Files. As a new year dawns, I generally unwind from the frenetic Listurnalia shenanigans and holiday season festivities by not only catching up on good shit I missed but leaning back on metal classics and other beloved albums from the past. For this latest edition we travel back to 2004 to revisit the criminally underrated second album from long-defunct Pittsburgh death metal crew, Commit Suicide. Loading a scant yet potent career with a demo, split release with the mighty Misery Index, and two LPs, culminating in the subject of this piece, sophomore album, Synthetics. Commit Suicide never quite gained the traction of their higher-profile labelmates of the era. Nevertheless, Synthetics garnered well-deserved buzz, upping the ante in songwriting sophistication and technicality, evolving brightly from the rugged deathgrind uppercuts of their impressive 2002 debut, Human Larvae (Earthly Cleansing).
Maintaining the gritty underground crunch and brutal thumping of the debut, Synthetics found Commit Suicide refining their art through complex, ever-shifting arrangements and featuring signature techy dissonance and aggro, brutal attack, trademarking many of the Willowtip albums of the era. Elevating its knotty, technical death with injections of grind, sick dual vocals from frontman Scott Evans, and a decidedly progressive streak, Synthetics is the full package. Commit Suicide refused to adhere to traditional song structures or verse-chorus-verse formats. However, their attention to crafting intricate, bruising, yet subtly infectious riffs, and anchoring the blasting chaos with dense, pummeling grooves lends the experience an addictive, replayable edge. Punching slammy grooves through brutal deathgrind tornadoes (“Earthly Cleansing,” “Transient,” “Evolve”), injecting eerie, doomy atmospheres into visceral, playful tech death wormholes (the astonishing “Resonance”), and ripping bloody paths of punky deathgrind destruction (“Bastard Creature/Harmonic Skepticism”), Synthetics weaves a tapestry of calculated brutality and overflowing creativity. The album’s compact length creates a more palatable experience and ensures the visceral experience does not overwhelm.
The passage of time has served this obscure gem well. Synthetics sounds remarkably fresh and volatile twenty-plus years since it dropped. On trend with the label traits of the era, Commit Suicide possessed an undeniable charm, nuking any semblance of orthodox songwriting through an unpredictable blend of choppy time changes, jagged dissonance, and controlled grindy chaos. Grounded by warped riffage, slammy grooves, and tremendous percussive flair, Synthetics also reaped benefits from a well-balanced, organic production job, steering away from sterile, plasticky productions that marred various platters during this time period and still hinders death metal releases to this day. This shit sounds good, especially when paired with a decent set of cans for full immersion.
So, who do these dudes sound like? That is perhaps the beauty of the label’s golden era, simple comparisons were never easily defined. Old school Gorguts, Suffocation, early Misery Index, and Pestilence are perhaps influential touchpoints; however, Commit Suicide carved their own special death metal niche during their brief existence. An overlooked gem from an action-packed era for the Willowtip label, Synthetics has stood the test of time and deserves to be better known, remaining a rugged, technical, and wickedly groovy, innovative slab of gritty underground death metal. Currently a name your price option on Bandcamp, there is no excuse for death metal aficionados not to at least give this underrated jewel a spin.
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