Geasa
Starside
[Independent]
The demo starts out with the drums running and tumbling at marching speed, proud and strong, but slowly, with the addition of keyboards, everything becomes hopeless. Very few bands can transform misery into music. Alas, Geasa are masters at this craft, successfully using their instruments to torture their listeners with bleak, black GRIEF.
Geasa are one of the few bands out of Ireland to play what could be classified as 'very much' black metal upon a listen or two (ahh..Moonfog in a more extreme way too I guess). They have all the necessary elements at least. I decided to review this demo in anticipation of their new CD ("Angel's Cry"), to be released soon by French label Seasons of Mist. Why it took them more than a minute for them to get signed is beyond me, as "Starside", in my opinion, is the most addictive and inciting black metal demo to be released in Western Europe in quite some time ('96). Yes, this release actually got me excited when I heard it, and in today's market that takes A LOT.
The intro, genius as noted above, is a great start to the demo, and quickly leads into the brutal and very raw song attached to it, "Burning the Gates of Rome". This is rather un-Irish in sound (more like the first Immortal LP), yet upon further inspection really can't be classified as anything less. The sound is raw and fast black metal, with harsh and raspy vocals commanding the music.
The band proudly display their full potential with the final two tracks though, "Starside" and "Rite of Passage". Nothing gets to me like these two tracks! It's like having your insides ripped to pieces! "Starside" starts out with the DARKEST and slowest bass solo ever, and moves into folk drenched riffs and tortured vocals (old Emperor if his mum died). "Rite of Passage" on the other hand starts out rather triumphant before falling apart into a melancholic mess. Brilliant.
What could one possibly say to praise this band in even greater detail (nothing!)? They are a magnificent group, and if "Starside" is any indication of what could happen if they progress, then they will easily climb out of the bland bog of modern black metal with "Angel's Cry". Somebody release this on CD or 12"!
© 1999 brand
Geasa are one of the few bands out of Ireland to play what could be classified as 'very much' black metal upon a listen or two (ahh..Moonfog in a more extreme way too I guess). They have all the necessary elements at least. I decided to review this demo in anticipation of their new CD ("Angel's Cry"), to be released soon by French label Seasons of Mist. Why it took them more than a minute for them to get signed is beyond me, as "Starside", in my opinion, is the most addictive and inciting black metal demo to be released in Western Europe in quite some time ('96). Yes, this release actually got me excited when I heard it, and in today's market that takes A LOT.
The intro, genius as noted above, is a great start to the demo, and quickly leads into the brutal and very raw song attached to it, "Burning the Gates of Rome". This is rather un-Irish in sound (more like the first Immortal LP), yet upon further inspection really can't be classified as anything less. The sound is raw and fast black metal, with harsh and raspy vocals commanding the music.
The band proudly display their full potential with the final two tracks though, "Starside" and "Rite of Passage". Nothing gets to me like these two tracks! It's like having your insides ripped to pieces! "Starside" starts out with the DARKEST and slowest bass solo ever, and moves into folk drenched riffs and tortured vocals (old Emperor if his mum died). "Rite of Passage" on the other hand starts out rather triumphant before falling apart into a melancholic mess. Brilliant.
What could one possibly say to praise this band in even greater detail (nothing!)? They are a magnificent group, and if "Starside" is any indication of what could happen if they progress, then they will easily climb out of the bland bog of modern black metal with "Angel's Cry". Somebody release this on CD or 12"!
© 1999 brand