Centurian - Of Purest Fire
Evil Death Metal with Morbid Angel and Inquisitor covers.
[Metal Curse #11 had an additional loose page (“Last Second Additions”) inserted into the centerfold of the zine, featuring a bunch of even-shorter-than-usual “bonus” reviews of stuff that arrived after the deadline for that issue. This is one of those “Last Second Additions” reviews.]
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Centinex - Shadowland
As a fan of Centinex and their intense, memorable Death Metal, I’m always glad to see any new stuff from these guys, but I think that only the title track here is new, with the other cut, “Eternal Lies” also being found on their Malleus Maleficarum MCD, so I’m not sure how mandatory this 7-inch is. But, like I said, I’m a fan, so I’m glad to have it, even if it is just the songs on a CDR “promo copy.”
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Centinex - Reborn Through Flames
To those of you who might think that using a drum machine in Death Metal sounds queer, may I present proof otherwise: Reborn Through Flames. Not only have Centinex perfected the art of writing memorable songs that spare no brutality, but they’re also geniuses at drum programming. Admittedly, this isn’t the most brutal thing I’ve ever heard, but it is one of the best. Brutality is important, but it can only get you so far. I have to be able to remember the songs. Centinex go that one further and even make the vocals uniquely awesome. You immediately know who you’re listening to, and you’re immediately impressed. Here’s one for the vaults.
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Cemetery of Scream - Deeppression
Death Rock. Gothic Metal. Whatever you call this supposedly dark stuff. Sure these guys overload on melancholy and depression, but the Sentenced-like Rock bits disturb the ominous feeling of the rest. Actually, this album is pretty good, if you like Tiamat, the aforementioned Sentenced, or their ilk. Plus C of S try some weird stuff every now and then, which almost qualifies them to be “experimental,” and they also sometimes use Death-style vocals. Not the greatest thing I’ve ever heard, but pretty interesting.
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Catholicon - Lost Chronicles of the War in Heaven
Freaky intro. What’s odd is that the guitars sound good, the drums sound okay, but when everything, including keyboards, vocals, and bass, is put together it doesn’t sound quite as good. These guys are scribes of Satan’s conquests. Black throughout. Scratchy screaming vocals to boot. Usually slower auditory evil with some faster parts. I think they kill more with their slower riffs like in “Eve Bewitched,” which is confusing to find an upbeat track such as “Ashes of Eden” right after. It’s a soulful keyboard and guitar tune. But Satan doesn’t really have a soul, it’s more like a black hole where gravity sucks in and crushes all the souls of hypocrites and the damned. It probably helps if you visualize the rain sounds as raining blood for that song. Maybe these guys can’t decide whether they’re Black and at war with Christianity or just… happy. As a chronicle, the movements flow together seamlessly, with highlights being the sludge slower parts. But somehow it all slowly runs out of steam. Favorite track, “Thorns of the Crown.”
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Cathedral - Caravan Beyond Redemption
Despite the somewhat goofy first song, “Voodoo Fire,” this might be the best Cathedral since the flawless debut, Forest of Equilibrium. Lee seems to finally be 100% comfortable with singing, and doesn’t really even try to have the raw edge to his voice anymore, which was a really good idea, by the way. The music is still very groove oriented, but possesses more heaviness (and a thick guitar tone), so the “Doom” label is not totally misplaced, as it has been on occasion in their past. If only all of this had been as great as “The Unnatural World” and “Satanikus Robotikus,” it might have recaptured their earlier perfection - although, obviously in a much different way.
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Casbah - Dinosaurs
Not quite as perfect as Bold Statement, but this is a collection of older stuff from these Thrash masters, and not a new album.
[Metal Curse #11 had an additional loose page (“Last Second Additions”) inserted into the centerfold of the zine, featuring a bunch of even-shorter-than-usual “bonus” reviews of stuff that arrived after the deadline for that issue. This is one of those “Last Second Additions” reviews.]
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Carnage (Massachusetts - USA) - Behold the Apocalypse
By the noise on this tape, I’d guess that this Carnage must be very new indeed. Even to their instruments. Basically this sounds like a drum machine set to “fast,” some super distorted guitar feedback, with maybe some notes thrown in here and there, and almost constant screaming. That they attempt to cover “We Are the Road Crew” is just too much for me to bear. I’d say that this is probably about as bad as it gets.
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Cardiovascular Sub-Hypothermia - Pulmonary Descent
Maybe it’s the yelled vocals, but I’m gonna call this Industrial Hardcore. It’s intense, like Hardcore, and has more or less those kinds of rhythms and vocals. The drums are programmed - occasionally in a Death Metal kind of way. There are plenty of samples and synths. It’s a fuckin’ weird mix of styles, but generally it sounds pretty cool.
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