Asphyx
On The Wings Of Inferno
[Century Media]
I never thought it would happen, but, thank Beelzebub and his rotund hairy posterior, Asphyx has returned to steamroll and obliterate every half-arsed death metal band in existence and reclaim the throne that is so rightfully theirs with their most streamlined and focussed work yet.
For the uninitiated cum ridiculously ignorant, Asphyx is without a doubt Holland’s greatest contribution to death metal and extreme metal in general other than Pestilence’s “Malleus Maleficarum”, Thanatos “Emerging From The Underworld”, Sinister’s “Cross The Styx” and the first three Countess albums. After unceremoniously calling it quits, they evolved into Soulburn and recruited Pentacle mastermind Wannes Gubbel (without a doubt one of the finest pair of lungs in extreme metal), churning out incredible Cianide/Celtic Frost flavoured material. Now, by Satan’s sweet coaxing, they have returned with a fucking corker of an album.
Not too far removed from the Soulburn material, this record still exhibits a fair amount of Celtic Frost inspired sludge, particularly in the doomy breakdown passages that they so liberally insert in the bridge sections of songs. Double bass is, as always, used in a very effective manner, used only to reinforce the crushing, headbanging melee that the riffage induces. Parallels can also be drawn to Bolt Thrower and Pessimist(USA), as everything is incredibly controlled and calculated, achieving extreme brutality without sounding chaotic, convoluted or messy. Oh, and one more thing. Wannes Gubbel is always a factor in every recording he participates in. Here, he sounds more frantic and malevolent than even Van Drunen, and has indubitably cemented his place as Asphyx’s master of ceremonies, and now the frontman of two of death metal’s finest outfits.
All in all, a death/thrash masterpiece that you’d be incredibly foolish not to pick up. If you’ve always been a longstanding admirer of Asphyx, you will have this already, and if you’re a new initiate, you should educate yourself on the many delights of genuine death metal and pick this up immediately. As I place this in my stereo for the 6th time this week, I have never been happier to welcome a band back to the fold. This surpasses even the last Pentacle, I dare say. Hail Asphyx, purveyors of genuine death metal!
[a fucking 10!]
© 2000 equimanthorn
For the uninitiated cum ridiculously ignorant, Asphyx is without a doubt Holland’s greatest contribution to death metal and extreme metal in general other than Pestilence’s “Malleus Maleficarum”, Thanatos “Emerging From The Underworld”, Sinister’s “Cross The Styx” and the first three Countess albums. After unceremoniously calling it quits, they evolved into Soulburn and recruited Pentacle mastermind Wannes Gubbel (without a doubt one of the finest pair of lungs in extreme metal), churning out incredible Cianide/Celtic Frost flavoured material. Now, by Satan’s sweet coaxing, they have returned with a fucking corker of an album.
Not too far removed from the Soulburn material, this record still exhibits a fair amount of Celtic Frost inspired sludge, particularly in the doomy breakdown passages that they so liberally insert in the bridge sections of songs. Double bass is, as always, used in a very effective manner, used only to reinforce the crushing, headbanging melee that the riffage induces. Parallels can also be drawn to Bolt Thrower and Pessimist(USA), as everything is incredibly controlled and calculated, achieving extreme brutality without sounding chaotic, convoluted or messy. Oh, and one more thing. Wannes Gubbel is always a factor in every recording he participates in. Here, he sounds more frantic and malevolent than even Van Drunen, and has indubitably cemented his place as Asphyx’s master of ceremonies, and now the frontman of two of death metal’s finest outfits.
All in all, a death/thrash masterpiece that you’d be incredibly foolish not to pick up. If you’ve always been a longstanding admirer of Asphyx, you will have this already, and if you’re a new initiate, you should educate yourself on the many delights of genuine death metal and pick this up immediately. As I place this in my stereo for the 6th time this week, I have never been happier to welcome a band back to the fold. This surpasses even the last Pentacle, I dare say. Hail Asphyx, purveyors of genuine death metal!
[a fucking 10!]
© 2000 equimanthorn