Astaroth (Florida - USA) - Songs of Sorrow
As I sit here waiting for the intro (sounds of rain) to end, I am hoping that I won’t have to endure any more tales of Alicia, and what a bitch she is, when all of a sudden the first song starts, and now I’m wondering if this is the same Astaroth who recorded the fuckin’ awesome Lost State of Dreams demo. It is. Well, I guess they don’t want to sound like they’re from Sweden anymore, because the heavy guitar sound is gone. Make no mistake, the production is ultra clear, and honestly, the sound is great, but I miss their previously evil tone. Also, do I hear a woman laughing in the background of - if the intro has it’s own title - “Eyes of Black” (or maybe it’s still “Prelude to Chaos”)? Hmm, well, anyway, the vocals are a bit more understandable now as well, and sometimes they sound great, like on “Drowning in Blood,” where they are multi-tracked, in what is the best use of 2 vocal tracks I’ve heard for a while. This demo has it’s moments, to be damn sure, and these guys are experimenting with their sound, which is good, but although they are excellent musicians, and clearly know how to write memorable stuff, somehow not all the experiments are successful.
(2) Comment(s)
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Bryan Winton said:
First I’d like to say that I never obtained a copy of Songs of Sorrow. Nor did I ever get the privledge to hear the final product. I parted ways with Larry Sapp and the band shortly before the release for personal reasons. I am still friends with Demian Heftel but I have not spoken with Tony Laureano in years. Like you, I preferred the “L.S.D” demo and sound. I did hear a couple of tracks from “S.O.S” and I agree that although a very good production, the sound lacked the mighty sound that was once Astaroth. Anyway, my influences have always been the thick, heavy and raw “Swedish” style and sound. For those that care, I played a Charvel/Jackson bass through an Ampeg SVT. And I loved bands like Dismember/Carnage, Entombed, Edge of Sanity, etc… Keep em’ tuned down and stay heavy \”/
admin said:
It’s great to hear from you, Bryan!
Thanks for commenting. \m/
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