Diabolicum
The Grandeur of Hell
(Soli Satanae Gloriam)
[Napalm]
After three demos under the name Imperial, Napalm have now released Diabolicum's debut CD.
Infernal industrial black metal art. That's what the back of the CD says anyway, and I guess it's a fairly good description of how Diabolicum sound. One of the first things that came to mind when listening to this was something in between Mysticum and Nåstrond's second full length "Age of Fire". Diabolicum has that dead, pale and hollow sound that well produced industrial black metal bands get, also I guess the use of a drum machine contributes to this. This CD was recorded in a studio called Green Castle Studio, one which I have never heard of before. Speaking of studio recordings, the first Imperial demo ("Mori Voluntari") was recorded on a four tracker in a mental hospital, in which the guitar player was placed after having committed church arson.
The music of Diabolicum is quite varied tempo wise, with a few catchy riffs (without making it sound melodic), growling black metal vocals complete, synth parts and samples which give the music somewhat of a occult and hostile atmosphere. I believe that the hostility is caused by the quite sterile production.
When first listening to this I was somewhat annoyed by apparent use of drum machine, but having got used to it fits the music and actually contributes to the sound picture in a positive way. I read in an interview that they have got real drummer for their next album ("The Darkblood Rising (The Hatecrowned retaliation)", to be recorded this summer), but in order to keep the industrial sound they where going to use both live human drumming together with the drum machine.
This is not usually the kind of music I listen to but I must admit that this was actually quite good. As I mostly listen to raw, violent and primitive black metal when it comes to this particular genre it's quite pleasant with this kind of music for variation.
© 2000 blodsband
Infernal industrial black metal art. That's what the back of the CD says anyway, and I guess it's a fairly good description of how Diabolicum sound. One of the first things that came to mind when listening to this was something in between Mysticum and Nåstrond's second full length "Age of Fire". Diabolicum has that dead, pale and hollow sound that well produced industrial black metal bands get, also I guess the use of a drum machine contributes to this. This CD was recorded in a studio called Green Castle Studio, one which I have never heard of before. Speaking of studio recordings, the first Imperial demo ("Mori Voluntari") was recorded on a four tracker in a mental hospital, in which the guitar player was placed after having committed church arson.
The music of Diabolicum is quite varied tempo wise, with a few catchy riffs (without making it sound melodic), growling black metal vocals complete, synth parts and samples which give the music somewhat of a occult and hostile atmosphere. I believe that the hostility is caused by the quite sterile production.
When first listening to this I was somewhat annoyed by apparent use of drum machine, but having got used to it fits the music and actually contributes to the sound picture in a positive way. I read in an interview that they have got real drummer for their next album ("The Darkblood Rising (The Hatecrowned retaliation)", to be recorded this summer), but in order to keep the industrial sound they where going to use both live human drumming together with the drum machine.
This is not usually the kind of music I listen to but I must admit that this was actually quite good. As I mostly listen to raw, violent and primitive black metal when it comes to this particular genre it's quite pleasant with this kind of music for variation.
© 2000 blodsband