Desaster Satans Soldiers Syndicate
Metal Blade Records September 7, 2007
By Wayward_Son
We need bands like Desaster. In a metal scene full of straight up copycats with nothing to offer in the way of originality, or bands that simply play the one-up game with speed or technicality, it actually is a refreshing privilege to hear a band that just wants to play bare bones metal.
This is Desasters sixth album (not counting two live releases) and second for powerhouse Metal Blade. There is absolutely nothing fancy about Satans Soldiers Syndicate. For thirty-seven minutes, the band lays down some hell thrashing riffs, blastbeats from beyond, and gruff vocals spewing satanic lyrics. It seems that is what they do, and they do it well.
This writers initial exposure to these Germans was their debut from way back in 1996, A Touch of Medieval Darkness, which, to put it bluntly, was fairly standard black metal not really worth a backward glance. The band today runs like a well oiled machine. Everything is tight, well played, and is able to hold ones attention. The band was smart to keep the album short, as too much of this blackened thrash can become cumbersome. The band show up, say their piece, and exit with a grin on their face knowing they tore it up.
As for individual tracks, the title track is a great first song (barring Intro) with Desaster clearly announcing their no-hold-barred intent. 'Tyrannizer' is probably the highlight of the album, if only because it offers some clean vocals and a break from the norm from none other than Primordials A.A. Nemtheanga crooning about Lucifer. Songs like 'Venomous Stench' and 'Hellbangers' are so damn metal that they are likely to find little audience because they are not deep enough.
While Satans Soldiers Syndicate is hardly the best thing heard all year, it is among the more potent releases. Fans of Destroyer 666 and blackened thrash in general should lap this up. This is pure old school, none of that artsy metal infecting "the scene". Desaster kicked this writers ass, and he thanked them for it.
Official Desaster Website
Official Metal Blade Records Website
Metal Blade Records September 7, 2007
By Wayward_Son
We need bands like Desaster. In a metal scene full of straight up copycats with nothing to offer in the way of originality, or bands that simply play the one-up game with speed or technicality, it actually is a refreshing privilege to hear a band that just wants to play bare bones metal.
This is Desasters sixth album (not counting two live releases) and second for powerhouse Metal Blade. There is absolutely nothing fancy about Satans Soldiers Syndicate. For thirty-seven minutes, the band lays down some hell thrashing riffs, blastbeats from beyond, and gruff vocals spewing satanic lyrics. It seems that is what they do, and they do it well.
This writers initial exposure to these Germans was their debut from way back in 1996, A Touch of Medieval Darkness, which, to put it bluntly, was fairly standard black metal not really worth a backward glance. The band today runs like a well oiled machine. Everything is tight, well played, and is able to hold ones attention. The band was smart to keep the album short, as too much of this blackened thrash can become cumbersome. The band show up, say their piece, and exit with a grin on their face knowing they tore it up.
As for individual tracks, the title track is a great first song (barring Intro) with Desaster clearly announcing their no-hold-barred intent. 'Tyrannizer' is probably the highlight of the album, if only because it offers some clean vocals and a break from the norm from none other than Primordials A.A. Nemtheanga crooning about Lucifer. Songs like 'Venomous Stench' and 'Hellbangers' are so damn metal that they are likely to find little audience because they are not deep enough.
While Satans Soldiers Syndicate is hardly the best thing heard all year, it is among the more potent releases. Fans of Destroyer 666 and blackened thrash in general should lap this up. This is pure old school, none of that artsy metal infecting "the scene". Desaster kicked this writers ass, and he thanked them for it.
Official Desaster Website
Official Metal Blade Records Website
