Some bands should take a look at DECAYED's career and popularity to understand that changing their style is certainly not the best way to appear honest and devoted to their style (I will give no names but you all know at least one band targetted by this remark). The only thing that changes on DECAYED CDs are the labels that release them, the speed of the drum-machine and the sound, but the music remains almost always the same. And this is a very good thing. So after Monasterium, Skyfall and DKD, Dakkar is the new label which release a DECAYED album. And this one is probably their best effort, it's the best sounding, the most professionnal one and probably the darkest. The first track, a 21' long stunning piece of raw black metal, is a proof that DECAYED is not a "joke band", that they really worship the old gods from the '80s and they dedicated their life to true & honest black metal, a style they have decided to play in its ORIGINAL & best form, for sure. So once again the mark of the Ancients appears clearly on the album (VENOM, SODOM, BATHORY, HELLHAMMER), but those who do not like these bands can fuck off as they are Black Metal, they were the creators of the style and fortunatey, bands like DECAYED still record LPs that honour the souls of these legends. And you really have to like them as the album begins with a 21' long track totally dedicated to the "old-styled" black metal. Then come aggressive black/thrash metal songs that are more violent than the ones on the previous records. This is probably due to the high pace of the drum machine, but don't worry, it's not TSJUDER ! It's still thrash/black metal for headbangers only. Those who discovered "black metal" with all the new melodic shits will not understand any song of this CD, and this is a good thing... This album is a fist in the face of "non metallers", those who can't understand the joys of headbanging ! And DECAYED offers as much music as they can : they recorded over 73' of pure fucking metal on this CD ; 7 tracks are new DECAYED songs and 9 are coversongs of BATHORY ("Call from the grave", "The return..."), CELTIC FROST ("Into the crypts of rays"), THE DESTROYERS ("Bad to the bone"), SODOM ("Blasphemer", much better than on "In lustful mayhem"), AC/DC ("Touch too much"), DEATH ("Infernal death") and VENOM("In league with Satan", "Witching hour"). DECAYED will not change, they are proud to play simply but so good old UG metal. I repeat it : this is their best effort so far, buy it if you ike metal or regret it your entire life (it's limited only to 1000 fucking copies...) CAVERNOUS BLACK METAL at its best !!!!!

10 / 10

© 2003 lord pesten