"Dismissed" - TOD's most recent album known to me was something that I enjoyed a whole lot (even more than I indicated in my review, to be honest). The more I listened to it the more I liked it. So much so that I sought out a couple of the band's earlier releases, which not only showed me how good the band became, but that they were a force to be reckoned with from the very beginning. While neither "Obliteration Allegory" nor "The Last" could quite match the above mentioned album's skill and consummation, "Endless Sunfall" is the one that came pretty close. Perhaps because with "Dismissed" the band took everything to the next level, or perhaps because I heard it first, it was a bit harder to judge this particular work for what it is. You know how it goes. Everything a band does is measured against what is perceived to be their best work. But we are talking about some commendable stuff here. Although the Deicide influence keeps creeping out, TOD continued to evolve into an interesting and fairly original entity on this album, preferring not to wear most of their influences directly on their sleeves but instead to work on the style of their own. The said style is not very frenetic or over-the-top brutal, but predominantly mid-tempo, with fairly long songs, plenty of great solo and lead work (which might just be the most enjoyable feature on this record), and some interesting twists and turns that the band like to throw into the mix now and then.

There are three excellent tracks which make "Endless Sunfall" really shine (no pun intended), namely "Ignorance Mixture," Mankind Obsequies," and the title track. The latter is the prime example of TOD's talent on this album. It starts out like a ballad with opening clean vocals and somber bass lines, which then smoothly transform into a couple of very cool and quirky segments before giving way to grinding riffs, excellently searing solos, and vocal alternations that change from growls of bassist Shirl to the more blackened, shrieky screams courtesy of guitarist Alex. Good, good stuff. "Ignorance Mixture" is less unique, opting for more straightforward and plodding, but, nonetheless, very effective mayhem. The last track "Mankind Obsequies" also deserves a special mention. It is a rather slow but very stylish song, with constantly interchanging parts (from heavy riffing, to calm sections, to clean guitar plucking), and ominous atmosphere. A great way to finish things off. The remaining songs are all good pieces as well, although not as exciting as the above three. Overly short "Requiem For Rotting Corpse" didn't do much for me, and as a whole the album could probably benefit from a sharper production. Ultimately, though, it leaves you with quite a positive impression. A bonus of five live tracks makes a nice addition as well. From their earlier "Obliteration Allegory" to the subject of this review and the more recent release "Dismissed," TOD proved themselves as a band good enough to be placed on an international death metal map.

© 2001 boris