Death SS
Panic
[Lucifer Rising]
Mainman Steve Sylvester and his cult legendary "horror metal" band have now been producing music for over two and a half decades, and they absolutely must be one of the most criminally overlooked projects when it comes to citing influences ever (just look at the solos in something like Mortuary Drape). It seems that everyone has heard the name Death SS, but very few have ever actually heard the band itself - emerging from Italy in the mid 70's, the endlessly revolving members (and the forever static Steve) have been playing and pioneering a classic heavy metal/thrash sound with dark/epic influences for what now seems an eternity, and even today their early work comes across immeasurably more powerful than such acts as Goblin and Elend will ever come close to. There's nothing gothic, neo-romantic, or artificially beautiful about the atmosphere which Death SS produce; it's so hauntingly evil and surrealistic that if Popol Vuh had not pulled such an incredible performance with "Brothers of Darkness, Sons of Light," the more ambient and textural side of the band's demos could have been used for the remake of Nosferatu.
Panic, however, released in 2000, is a very different and more experimental side of Death SS's progression, somewhat similar to the direction they took in the nineties; and, incredibly enough, whereas 99% of the time I would have just proclaimed a band's death statement, this more accessible work is among the best recordings they have ever done. Some of the songs I'll admit definitely seem to be targeted at a prospective commercial appeal, but the others among this release are absolute killers - expanding over an hour with twelve tracks including an intro and outro, I am finding my way back to this over and over again. The other "experienced" members of the group would be ex-Eldritch keyboardist Oleg and guitarist Emil Bandera, while the second guitarist and guest bass player both strangely departed immediately after the recording session. The spirited and extravagant live shows that Death SS have performed over the years also deserve notable mention as a very prominent aspect of their overly chilling image, and have been weakly emulated by such sci-fi pomp garbage acts as GWAR.
The album opens with "Let the Sabbath Begin," and it's probably the most reminiscent of the older thrashing Death SS formula - Steve has one of those voices which you think could command the apocalypse, and "modern-sounding" keyboards are actually used to great effect (the band really does this element right). But as far as the past goes, nothing else is nearly as conspicuous; "Panic" itself for example is an electronic power type track with distorted vocals that reminds me a lot of G.G.F.H., "Hi-tech Jesus" is more of the same, and "Equinox of the Gods" is an extremely sluggish but absorbing doomish song in the vein of the Obsessed or maybe even Saint Vitus' s/t. While some of that was unexpected, however, "Cannibal Queen" would have to be the one off the album that really shocked me - it's absolutely mind-numbingly heavy, a completely rocking vibe, and it sounds heavily like Mortuary Drape! Kind of a cool concept, one band influencing the other and then vice versa several years down the road...
The flip side of the coin to Panic would be "Scarlet Woman" and "Ishtar," both of which I'm finding the female vocals on very difficult to stomach. The latter oriental one is tolerable because the environment around her is so foreboding, but I can't say anything about the former bitch other than that she gothically sucks right off the scale. The keys on "Scarlet Woman" are also sickeningly happy sounding, and it doesn't seem to parallel whatsoever with the emotions Death SS usually try to convey. Lastly, "Hermaphrodite" is a very questionable track for me and I can't decide whether I'm liking those tribal influences or not (seems to almost depend on the day of the week).
This is one which you really should allow yourself to hear. It will be hated by most, shunned by more, embraced by some, but regardless, don't just go off the reputation - it's one of the very few exceptions to metal evolution within a band becoming ugly. The mighty are still standing this time...
One final note, to all readers that hoped they had stumbled onto another bandwagon-jumping weak NS band - the SS stands for nothing more than "The Death of Steve Sylvester."
© 2002 hando
Panic, however, released in 2000, is a very different and more experimental side of Death SS's progression, somewhat similar to the direction they took in the nineties; and, incredibly enough, whereas 99% of the time I would have just proclaimed a band's death statement, this more accessible work is among the best recordings they have ever done. Some of the songs I'll admit definitely seem to be targeted at a prospective commercial appeal, but the others among this release are absolute killers - expanding over an hour with twelve tracks including an intro and outro, I am finding my way back to this over and over again. The other "experienced" members of the group would be ex-Eldritch keyboardist Oleg and guitarist Emil Bandera, while the second guitarist and guest bass player both strangely departed immediately after the recording session. The spirited and extravagant live shows that Death SS have performed over the years also deserve notable mention as a very prominent aspect of their overly chilling image, and have been weakly emulated by such sci-fi pomp garbage acts as GWAR.
The album opens with "Let the Sabbath Begin," and it's probably the most reminiscent of the older thrashing Death SS formula - Steve has one of those voices which you think could command the apocalypse, and "modern-sounding" keyboards are actually used to great effect (the band really does this element right). But as far as the past goes, nothing else is nearly as conspicuous; "Panic" itself for example is an electronic power type track with distorted vocals that reminds me a lot of G.G.F.H., "Hi-tech Jesus" is more of the same, and "Equinox of the Gods" is an extremely sluggish but absorbing doomish song in the vein of the Obsessed or maybe even Saint Vitus' s/t. While some of that was unexpected, however, "Cannibal Queen" would have to be the one off the album that really shocked me - it's absolutely mind-numbingly heavy, a completely rocking vibe, and it sounds heavily like Mortuary Drape! Kind of a cool concept, one band influencing the other and then vice versa several years down the road...
The flip side of the coin to Panic would be "Scarlet Woman" and "Ishtar," both of which I'm finding the female vocals on very difficult to stomach. The latter oriental one is tolerable because the environment around her is so foreboding, but I can't say anything about the former bitch other than that she gothically sucks right off the scale. The keys on "Scarlet Woman" are also sickeningly happy sounding, and it doesn't seem to parallel whatsoever with the emotions Death SS usually try to convey. Lastly, "Hermaphrodite" is a very questionable track for me and I can't decide whether I'm liking those tribal influences or not (seems to almost depend on the day of the week).
This is one which you really should allow yourself to hear. It will be hated by most, shunned by more, embraced by some, but regardless, don't just go off the reputation - it's one of the very few exceptions to metal evolution within a band becoming ugly. The mighty are still standing this time...
One final note, to all readers that hoped they had stumbled onto another bandwagon-jumping weak NS band - the SS stands for nothing more than "The Death of Steve Sylvester."
© 2002 hando