Lay Down Rotten - Cold Constructed (2005)

   If new waved death metal bands of the '00s didn't have technical or progressive ambitions, and also don't wanted to turn brutal, they chosed the melodic path. The music of Lay Down Rotten was another perfect example of the modern sound of death metal.
   All their musical features illustrated well the preferences of the '00s. Their music was so melodic that they were not far to be called as a melodic death metal band. The only reason why they could avoid this denouncement is that their songs are too complex. Even though their music almost completely lacks typical death metal riffings and song structures, they didn't turn to "brutal heavy metal" like most other bands do in that style. Their themes are more diverse by building from others styles too, such as groove metal and thrash for instance, and the songs didn't lose from their intensiveness to express emotions. They preferred to turn occasionaly sick instead. By the vocals they also followed the modern trends of turning everything more diverse, as a second backing vocal was involved. The lyrical topics partly stayed on the old school field of violence, murder and death, but these are also showing the same modern tendencies by their different approach. Lay Down Rotten was formed by great musicians who really knew how to do their job, but the death metal they played is more recommended for those who are not really into death metal and don't like it's usual characteristics.