CD Reviews

• Masterful Magazine
  Ireland's Warpath (not be confused with the English, Polish or Brazilian acts of the same name) debut with "Gorefare" after one demo session in 2006. The band crossbreeds (early) Scandinavian melodies with late-nineties American death metal brutality while vocally this is very reminiscent of "Engineering the Dead" era Aborted, although they wander into pig-vocal stylings towards the latter half of this record. Warpath has a good groove going and in that sense regularly reminds of Altar, Jungle Rot or Skinless. Guitarists Rowan O'Neill and Eoin Dunne play each other off well and while drummer Graham Dunne isn't world's fastest or most technical player his patterns fit well with Warpath's distinctively European sounding (old school) death metal. The multitude of leads - from the fast, chaotic to the agonizing slow variety - also form another prominent feature on this workmanlike but competent disc. The bass-heavy production is levelled exceptionally well with a clearly defined yet fittingly heavy guitar tone and sterile sounding drums. Artwork, design and lay-out are a bit too much by-the-numbers although it is far from ugly, it doesn't really stand out from the crop. Warpath isn't exactly doing anything new with the genre, but "Gorefare" is a worthwhile record despite it tendency to play it by-the-numbers a bit too much. If this band expands on what it is doing here and grows beyond the tired gore lyrics and imagery they might just become Ireland's most promising export product since Abbadon Incarnate.

• Metal Ireland
  As time has gone on, it's become harder and harder to assess what the real fan is looking for in death metal any more. It's gotten as fast as it can plausibly get, and every wretched subject matter has be plumbed. So what's left? Well you don't need me to tell you, for t'were never any other way: tunes.
  
  To genre fans Warpath's name and sound will instantly coalesce. Their brutal DM is only marginally more difficult than Barnes' lot and though unlike their Floridian forbears blasts are frequent, they're singing more or less from the same hymn sheet.
  
  It's uncomplicated and satisfying for the most part, if sometimes crying out for a little more flair and true verve. Where the middle of 'Gorefare' does a nice blast and arpeggio combo in vintage Dying Fetus style, one may measure it as getting there rather than the genuine blow-the-listener-away article. But it should come.
  
  Though it is essentially standard stuff, two things about their sound stand out. One is the closeness to the original early nineties glut.
  
  Though horrendous at the time, absence has made the heart grow fonder, and the similarity of Warpath to bands like Brutality, Disincarnate and Broken Hope hasn't gone unnoticed. Second is their exceedingly Hoffman-esque solos. The reverb whammy and arpeggio action compliments this style well, and it's a good nod.
  
  Sometimes interest flags across this comparatively lengthy CD, but the production is at least up to the job of giving a reason to keep listening. The grooves are simple, the ideas basic, but it's at least all handled with competence and a real passion for the genre. Which is no bad thing given that everyone else in the genre these days has their head up their arse talking about polyrhythms n' shit. Good job.

• Unbound Zine
  Hailing from Dublin, Ireland Warpath play a straight ahead bulldozing style of death metal that straddles the line between heaviness and catchiness. While there are modern influences, saying the band was old school in nature wouldnt be far off. At the end of the day what matters is the music and this kicks a whole lot of ass.
  
  If you combined Dying Fetus with Tomb of the Mutilated era Cannibal Corpse and threw in some Sinister youd have Warpath. There are even a few surprising riffs that bring to mind Swedish death metal. The overall style of the band is easily associated with the death metal genre, but the band definitely has an original take on the genre. If you are a death metal fan, youll enjoy this plain and simple.
  
  The production is surprisingly good, with a powerful guitar sound and an excellent drum sound. The sound allows a lot of energy to come across and has a nice natural ring to it. The vocals are mixed loud enough for the vocals to be hard hitting but not overpowering. Its odd to think that death metal albums are becoming overproduced but it is happening. This album proves that a powerful and clean sound is what makes a death metal album effective, not studio polish.
  
  If you enjoy chunky death metal with a melodic flair you'll definitely want to check out Warpath. Fans of thrash would also find many aspects of the Warpath sound appealing. Chances are you have never heard Warpath before, but this is a band sure to make a name for themselves.
  
  This is a band I could see fitting on the Metal Blade roster perfectly.

• Power Play (#97, April 2008)
  These Dublin Death mettallers appear to like BoltThrower and other war style Death Metal machines like Vomitory and Panzerchrist, such is the monstrously heavy bass sound and double bass kick that is employed throughout. Opener "Munting Season" is a primal Death Metal beating utilising very simplistic riffs set against a bass drum battalion. The battalion surges forth into "Blood Eagle" and through "Brutal Paralysis" but with better variations in speed and structure.
  
  Technically the leads are played competently and balance the bass heavy rhythm of the songs, which are infused with a great sense of melody and downright grooviness in places. The cavernous guttural road of the vocals never resort to the high pitched squeals and screams quite often used in modern Death Metal making this a bulldozing example of Authentic Death Metal heaviness.
  
  Martin Harries

• Zero Tolerance (#22, April 2008)
  Ireland's Warpath have come out fighting with this waste-laying motherfucker of a debut album that pummels along with 34 minutes of old school Death Metal savagery. While there is nothing ground breaking on "Gorefare", the album will undoubtedly please fans of Death Metal as a whole with it's references to early Cannible Corpse, Dying Fetus, Desecration and the likes. Despite the fact that Gorefare is firmly embedded in the Death Metal trenches, there's enough variation in pace and style to keep it disgustingly captivating.
  
  Looking at "Suffering due to Disembowelment" as an example, we find a sing that treads on Legion of the Damned territory before moving into an old thrashier style and hitting a less-tech Nile vibe on the melodies. The leads are well rounded and are certainly more reminiscent of early Death Metal than the rest of the music – in a good way. Darren Keogh's vocals are intense as hell, hitting every thing from deep Suffocation-esque growls to chilling black metal screams and executing the styles perfectly. This is driving Irish Death Metal at its finest. Best of all its brutal as fuck!
  
  John Norby