AGONAL -A SUFFERING COMPLETE

Agonal, according to their Facebook page is the brain child of one Jon Francis. This release the third in a trilogy is entitled A Suffering Complete. A Suffering Complete is a solid album musically with elements of symphonic doom mixed in with extreme and clean vocals, along with a healthy dose of melody.

Even though there is keyboard for those symphonic elements, the guitars carry the freight.  No, you won’t find many guitar solos, but the layering of musical elements was done well enough that I never wondered when a solo break was coming. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a very upfront and loud six string rythym section, well recorded and quite defined. 

This release, at times, is very reminiscent of My Silent Wake. Not quite as melancholy where MSW uses more reverb for atmopherics and other acoustic instruments, Agonal relies soully upon their songwriting. There are some good solid dynamics that

are apparent within many of the songs, Fall Unto Me for example. However there are plenty of just hard hitting tracks such as The Final Sunset.

The sound quality is quite good and just in passing I originally thought this was a complete band. I had no idea it was a one man band, with a few guest musicians.  If I hadn’t looked it up I wouldn’t have guessed that the drums were programmed, I’m usually pretty good at picking them out but not this time.

Agonal, A Suffering Complete is bombastic and heavy which for a symphonic doom release is just what the doctor ordered.  Grab a copy of this through Sanctus Gladius and ride the crushing hammer of doom!!

7 axes

BRUTAL CROSS - SYMPHONY OF DESTRUCTION

Brutal Cross is a one man Extreme Metal extravaganza from Europe, Poland specifically. With a sound described as unblackened/death metal their Sanctus Gladius Records release entitled, Symphony of Destruction, is anything but tame.

This collection of 13 tracks seems to have a two fold purpose, first to inject the Light into a field of musical endeavor that is dominated by the darkness. Secondly to create a musical cacophony that should please anyone who wants their music intense and unabashedly extreme.

This is the second album by Brutal Cross, their first one was entitled Trilogy. One thing I noticed as I compared a few tracks from their first album to Symphony and it just seems to me that Symphony is not produced as well, a slightly rawer feel and depending on how important those elements are to you. However the sound quality is still acceptable but not as complete.  

The music on this release is pure black metal with the musical elements that define that genre; Extreme vocals, atmosphere over melody, and rawness over polish.  I was unable to hear a strong death metal influence here. From their Facebook page Brutal Cross, indicated several bands as likes which I’d infer also as influences, which includes fellow Polish unblack band Elggibor. Other bands mentioned are Crimson Moonlight, Pantokrator, Deuteronomium and Ultimatum.

If this sound like your cup of brew then snag yourself a copy of Brutal Cross’s, Symphony of Destruction. This might be a limited edition release so don’t hesitate but head over to the Sanctus store and grab one. A six axe review just because the production is slightly rawer, but the material is still acceptable.

6 axes

DIVINE INCARNATION - JUDGEMENT AGAINST THE NATIONS

Moving with the subtlety of a runaway locomotive the debut album by Divine Incarnation has arrived. (Actually it arrived a little while ago, but due to several delays this review is finally seeing the light of day…. Sorry guys!!). Judgment Against the Nations is the title of this metallic assault brought to us by Sanctus Gladius Records

Judgment Against the Nations is blackened/Thrash Metal that is long on bombast and short on any kind of subtlety, with upfront guitars and vocals that could scrape paint off a wall. Opening with what I think is the best track, The Return, you know what you're gonna get. Fast songs that have few changes but have lots of sledgehammer moments.

Other stands out tracks include, All Powerful One and The Only Way. These tracks have some solid thrashy death type moments, yet have a really strong old school vibe reinterpreted for today. The black metal influence is really strong on the 10 minute epic Indignation, for me tho I sorta got lost along the way.

There are really strong riffs on this album. The production is clean and brutal without being overproduced in the least. This band sounds like someone I’d hear in San Francisco at the Rock On Broadway, very underground and very raw. According to the liner notes these tracks were originally recorded in October 2009 and July 2010. Perhaps as two separate demo’s that have been put together for this limited edition release. If that is the case, the production elements are really quite good.

On their Facebook page they list their influences as,

Bathory, Celtic Frost, Emperor, Hellhammer, Immortal, Mayhem, Slayer. That I can believe! This is a limited edition disc so if you don’t already own one you might’ve missed out, but if brutal thrashing blackened death is up your alley; grab a copy of Divine Incarnation’s Judgment Against the Nations. You won’t be disappointed. 7 axes