The Scottish quintet Fifteen Dead admits their latest EP, Born to Never Understand, offers a "far heavier approach" than previous efforts, but their inroads into death metal's melodies serve their self-described "NecroCrust" foundations well. The band's raw, ragged alloy of black metal's stinging gales and crust-punk's scuzzy rumblings benefits from the more forceful and dynamic elements. Written and recorded quickly, the EP manages a balance of ambitious compositional elements and primal aggression. With Population Zero, RBT and Shadows. —Bryan C. Reed