A band that upon my first listen sounded too strange for my taste. But after more listens, it HEAVILY grew on me (seldom leaving my CD player for a good 5-6 months)! As most know, this Australian band has been extinct for many years (since 1992, I think), and some members now play in TRIAL OF THE BOW (good experimental/ambient music). This release is quite under-rated, but there's no doubt it's one of (if not THE) heaviest death metal albums ever released. Bands like CANNIBAL CORPSE and BROKEN HOPE could only dream of sounding this heavy! The music usually meanders at a slower doomy pace, but at times is very fast almost like grindcore, but without being boring. There's alot of interesting clean-guitar riffs over the rest of the music, but it all fits in well and certainly gives this band much originality. The vocals range from the usual death grunt (well above average) to near black metal screams and some avante-garde moans/chants (another very original aspect). The guitars being too low in the mix is really my only complaint (seldom I complain about imperfect production!). Those who appreciate originality mixed with brutality will certainly be pleased by this CD, but for average death metallers this'll be too original and heavy for their liking...

© 2000 bathym