Review by JD on December 10, 2012.

Death Metal seems to have some of the best but clearly unknown musicians in the world. You got to be damned good to play with that much aggression, power, speed and passion and still be able to hold some resemblance of having melody... and most of them do with pride. One such grouping of very great musicians is Holland’s answer to having the equivalent of Death Metal Idols.... Anatomy Of I.

Playing what I would describe as Progressive Death Metal with intense Thrash and boisterously made Neo-Classical angles woven through out the album, Anatomy Of I is a musicians wet dream. Three amazing metal musicians collaborating to make stunningly heavy music that is forward thinking and yet still caustic in nature. With Metal Master Michael Dorrian, Bass God Steve Di Giorgio (Sadus, Ex-Testament, Death) and brutal timekeeper Dirk Verbeuren(Soilwork) unleashing the sonic fury of a atomic bomb and the talent of a master musician... the results are boundlessly good and powerfully delivered.

With ten songs, they offer up over forty minutes of complete technical chaos. It is brilliantly played from beginning to end with rapid time shifts and tempo modulations, showing musicians at the pinnacle of their craft... yet it cannot hide a problem with the music. With all of this happening in the music, seems their was no sense of heart was not put into it.... despite all of the unmatched proficiency. Even to my ear after so many years playing in the business - the whole album of Anatomy Of I comes across as almost machine like.

Anatomy Of I’s album flies along at breakneck speed, but it comes across like if it is more like if it is a showcase for the three stellar musicians rather than a project from brilliant musicians letting it being all about every aspect of the music which is based on feeling and heart... which is sad for me to say. It is a clinic in playing not an album for listening to and enjoying.

How it is all played, it is a dazzling showing of the three, but looking at it from a non musician’s angle - it feels flat and almost lifeless. This is one of those albums that leaves you pondering the question - What if... or even why? Bummer dude!

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 10
Atmosphere: 4
Production: 8
Originality:5
Overall: 7

Rating: 6.8 out of 10