Loud Rage Music kindly sent CDs by a couple of bands on their roster for review. Akral Necrosis and Marchosias, titled (inter)SECTION and Anthology of the East by Tragacanth. I’d not heard of either before, had no idea what to expect and slotted each in to the CD player with an open mind.
First up was Akral Necrosis/Marchosias. A look at Loud Rage’s web site told me that the band is described as “thrash black metal” from Romania. Now whilst that’s most definitely not “my bag” musically I gave it a go anyway keeping that aforementioned open mind.
It is very loud. A full on aural assault sure enough. But it all sounded the same to me. Rail gun speed drumming, equally fast riffs and that incomprehensible guttural screaming vocal style. To my ears – a wall of noise with no discernible variance. I found it a hard listen.
Whilst I’m sure you speed/death metal types will love it, Akral Necrosis/Marchosias is not for me. Sorry boys. I have come across positive reviews of the CD on other sites thus I’d suggest you search them out if thrash/speed is your thing.
Next – Tragacanth and their Anthology of the East. When I looked them up on Loud Rage’s site I saw “melodic symphonic black death metal from Holland and songs “telling of ancient Babylonian times”. Perhaps this might be a bit more to my liking with the melodic/symphonic references. In the the CD slot it went.
The intro to the opening track – Rebirth – raised my hopes somewhat as it reminded me strongly of a Dream Theater style affair. Proggy overtones and as hinted at by the Babylonian reference an Eastern tinge to it too. However when that promising intro was done, in came the rail gun drumming and straight in to that black/death metal. Really not my bag.
Though I’m nothing if not a determined listener and saw it through a time or two. Anthology of the East I found to be enjoyable during the proggy/symphonic parts which I’d have preferred much more of.
The drumming I suggest it too much to the fore and drowns out what underneath sounds to be quite a promising prog metal type affair trying to get out. Check out the closer – Edimmu – as an example of that.
Of the two, preference very much for Tragacanth given the variation in styles and the progressive interludes though not enough of them to (again, my opinion only folks) escape the speed/death metal of which I feel there is too much. But that’s the band’s style and it’s not for me to question it.
Overall: both bands too “extreme” for my old fart ears accustomed to my NWOBHM/classic rock leanings. Though you speed metal types reading this I suspect will find Tragacanth and Akral Necrosis very much to your tastes.
Fine out more about them at Loud Rage Music: http://loudragemusic.com