Burst - _Prey on Life_
(Relapse Records, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (8 out of 10)
Somewhat peculiarly approved by the notoriously conservative Kerry King, _Prey on Life_ marks the second full length effort by Nasum's (now reportedly ex-) bassist Jesper Liveröd and co. A genre-bending affair of note, the first few minutes of "Undoing" and "Iris" instantly betray the band's love for the progressive style of Opeth and the rollicking assault of latter-day metalcore. By no means a barefaced fusion of influences however, for the most part Burst successfully combine their diverse styles to sound both natural and spontaneous. As a result, tracks like "Rain" and "Vortex" are at once brutal and graceful, remaining constantly exigent throughout. However, while it is not a common occurrence, Burst do at times miss the mark in their eclectic approach, leaving certain sequences slightly dislodged from their root sources, so to speak, and giving proceedings a hampered and almost tacked-on feel. Again, this happens relatively infrequently, but does mar the album's ascension from merely good to excellent. For the majority of its forty-five minute running time, _Prey on Life_ is original, challenging and most importantly entertaining, and will most certainly demand your attention for more than just a few casual spins.

(article published 10/20/2003)

1/31/2009 K Sarampalis 10 Burst - Lazarus Bird

