Open Kasket - Trials Of Failure Album Review
If you ever wondered what would happen if you took the most violent elements of Hardcore and Death Metal, threw them into a blender, and let the results mutate into something even more brutal, Trials of Failure is your answer. Open Kasket’s debut full-length is a low, slow, and dirty beatdown that doesn’t hold back. It’s ugly in all the best ways—unforgiving, pummelling, and relentless in its execution.
This is exactly what you’d expect from a Death Metal/Hardcore hybrid, both in style and intensity. The album is packed with slamming riffs, crushing drum beats, and a vocal approach that never lets up. There’s no attempt to soften the sound with melody or technical wizardry—this is straight-up violence in sonic form. If metal could be grown in a petri dish, spliced together from the most brutal elements of both genres, Trials of Failure would be the end result.
The production is raw without sounding sloppy, keeping that “live in the garage” energy intact. The mix isn’t overproduced, giving everything room to breathe while still delivering a thick, oppressive atmosphere. The bass is present throughout, though it’s more noticeable on some tracks than others. Listening on different setups makes a difference—on in-ear buds, the album still hits hard, but over-the-ear headphones bring out the bass lines and depth even more. There are moments, especially in the final track, where the bass gets a chance to shine, adding weight to the already bone-crushing sound.
The pacing of Trials of Failure is another highlight. This isn’t an album built on breakneck speed or technical gymnastics, but it still knows how to throw in bursts of tempo changes just long enough to keep things interesting before dragging you back down into the muck. Every track is relatively short, like a series of brutal haymakers thrown in quick succession. It never overstays its welcome, instead delivering sharp, concentrated bursts of aggression that feel tailor-made for pit destruction.
This is the kind of album that guarantees chaos at live shows. The breakdowns and mid-tempo chugs will have bodies colliding, fists flying, and windmills taking out unsuspecting bystanders. But even if you’re not one to dive into the pit, it’s still an album you can stand at the back, arms crossed, nodding along to while soaking in the sonic devastation.
While Trials of Failure doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel, it doesn’t need to. This is pure, unfiltered beatdown Death Metal done right. Every track is built to crush, with just enough variation and groove to keep things from blurring together. If you’re looking for something fast, technical, or experimental, this isn’t that album. But if you want something to soundtrack the feeling of getting your teeth kicked in—metaphorically or literally—then Open Kasket has delivered exactly what you need.
Standout tracks: Ersatz (Sine Die) and Chemical Death bring the heaviest moments, while Chain Whip delivers the kind of groove that makes you want to punch through concrete.
Final thoughts: If you love beatdown, slam, or the nastier side of hardcore-infused Death Metal, Trials of Failure is a must-listen. It’s violent, it’s filthy, and it’s absolutely fucking relentless.