The stressful life of a reviewer leads to many tragic mistakes. Some come in the form of missing releases or forgetting about newer acts. Hence, I’m here attempting to sink the ocean with my ship’s cannons (totally pointless, yes) and give attention to some of the many bands that hit MER’s mailbox every day. It’ll never be over, but consider this a futile act of redemption. Rarely have we seen such a strange constellation of bands in the same article, which is always fun, right? Say yes!
Vile Rites – Senescence: I would’ve loved to do a full review of this album, but time is tight, and this last week has been brutal regarding new releases! Either way, Senescence is exactly what anyone who wants Prog and Death Metal together craves. Yes, it’s complex and well-written, but what I’d like to highlight is Vile Rites‘ ability to stay constantly active, continually producing interesting transitions and ideas. It’s common in Prog for a band to recycle patterns or go through motions that don’t really achieve anything. That’s not the case here! Vile Rites can play engaging Prog Death for a whole album with ease. Does it get a bit long? Yes, but this band is just starting to leave its mark on the scene. It wouldn’t surprise me if in a few years Senescence rises to cult-classic status.
Hvile I Kaos – Lower Order Manifestations: Now, this one is something entirely different. It’s Metal in spirit but not in execution. Do you like Apocalyptica? Chances are, you don’t because they’ve become too “commercial.” However, Hvile I Kaos remains dark and disturbing despite its Classical music form, producing a dance between the evil of Metal and the beauty of more ancient styles. Lower Order Manifestations has no grand ambitions, but it clearly stands out from the crowd. So, if you’re feeling gloomy and down, this might be the perfect soundtrack for your pain. Besides, look at that gorgeous Moloch-inspired art!
Pythonic – EP 1: Enough with all the complicated and fancy music—don’t you want something straight out of the sewer? Or at least the bar? Then Pythonic has an EP for you. Blending Thrash with Old School Swedish Death Metal, the band manages to sound like Entombed but without losing its unique style. It’s not just Wolverine Blues worship; it offers a fun ride that doesn’t fall into derivative territory. Of course, it’s not incredibly original, but its aggression and attitude make up for that. So if you have a few minutes of anger to drain, these guys are going to cover you!
That’s it! We’re keeping it real this week and just served you an absolute mess of a meal. Listen to these three together, so you know what it’s like to eat fried chicken mixed with jelly and smoked salmon. Disturbing, right? It requires strength and openness—the same here! Or, well, you can be lazy and listen to one, stay in your comfort zone, that’s what you’re meant to do anyway. “Catto, are you playing inverse psychology on me?” I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if you ever wonder, yes, there’s science to back that type of manipulation up. Anyway, listen to the bands or not, but then you’ll always wonder what you could be missing, and that uncertainty kills you inside, I know…
Metal Eclipse Reviews 