Opinions on these bands, please

[J.]

Just curious what you folks think of these bands:

Rotting Christ
Gehenna (Henrik, is the death metal stuff worth a look?)
Alastis
Cryptopsy

Thanks

 

[Ellestin]

Alastis is the only band of which I've heard a full album ("Unity"), and it didn't impress me that much, sort of an "Exodus"-era Samael with even more pompous overtones, huge synths and wannabe-threatening pounding patterns. Maybe their older stuff has something more to offer?

 

[J.]

ya that's what I figured. I don't mind tier 2 bands if the music is well executed. maybe if I find it for under $5

 

[Henrik Main]

Gehenna's black metal stuff is stellar, featuring an incredibly creepy atmosphere and beautiful, evil melodies. As for their death metal stuff - "Murder" is perhaps a bit run-of-the-mill standard blackened death, nothing exceptional. "Adimiron Black", however, is very solid death metal with a black metal touch - often mid-paced and groovy. Their latest album, "WW", has received quite a lot of praise, and is a rather primal black metal release, with guitars/bass/drums/vocals only. Good shit.

Cryptopsy's first two albums; "Blasphemy Made Flesh" and "None So Vile" are mandatory if you're into the more brutal parts of death metal. They're astonishingly good. Nothing more to say about those. "Whisper Supremacy" and "And Then You'll Beg" aren't BAD records by any means, but the vocalist who took over after Lord Worm (who's the king of death metal vocals) pretty much BLOWS*, and they sacrificed the killer groove that "BMF" and "NSV" had in favour of über-technical musicianship.

*Embarrassing grammar mistake now fixed

 

[J.]

I think it's time I get some Gehenna.

So the first two Cryptopsy albums have the better vocalist and aren't of the oh-look-at-how-technical-i-am school of death metal? OK, cool. Thanks.

 

[Ellestin]

I hear the Cryptopsy drummer Florient Mournier often referred to as an octopus. Whatever that means...

 

[Henrik Main]

1. I think it's time I get some Gehenna.

2. So the first two Cryptopsy albums have the better vocalist and aren't of the oh-look-at-how-technical-i-am school of death metal? OK, cool. Thanks.

1.

2. Pretty much. Sure, both albums have some technical moments, especially "None So Vile", but they're still pretty damn groovy.

 

[unhinged]

none so vile is well worth it

 

[Henrik Main]

Gehenna - Seed Of Man's Destruction (From "Adimirion Black")

Gehenna - The Mystical Play Of Shadows (From "Seen Through The Veil Of Darkness: Second Spell")

Cryptopsy - Serial Messiah (From "Blasphemy Made Flesh")

 

[Crimson Velvet]

I've taken quite a liking to Gehenna's first two albums and the EP "First Spell". But I guess that's the black metal Gehenna. They also have wicked cool song titles.

 

[J.]

yeah, I'm liking all these samples. I liked the Rotting Christ song. I like that dark metal stuff.

The Gehenna songs were really good. I liked the one from Admirion Black a little more, but in time, I'll get the pre-Murder stuff. It seems they aren't really rare at all.

 

[Henrik Main]

I've taken quite a liking to Gehenna's first two albums and the EP "First Spell". But I guess that's the black metal Gehenna. They also have wicked cool song titles.

Indeed, that's the black metal Gehenna (their 2005 release "WW" could also be labelled "black metal", but a different kind of BM). Agreed, the song titles are really, really cool and help create that special, creepy atmosphere.

The Gehenna songs were really good. I liked the one from Admirion Black a little more, but in time, I'll get the pre-Murder stuff. It seems they aren't really rare at all.

 

[JayKeeley]

None So Vile is brilliant stuff. I'm not into overly brutal technical stuff that's just wall of sound drumming (if that's how people generally interpret Cryptopsy), but I have to admit, this is an amazing album. And the vocals, haha...you gotta hear it to believe it. Lord Worm sounds like a pitbull. Love the artwork too.

 

[Jim LotFP]

Cryptopsy's first two albums; "Blasphemy Made Flesh" and "None So Vile" are mandatory if you're into the more brutal parts of death metal. They're astonishingly good. Nothing more to say about those. "Whisper Supremacy" and "And Then You'll Beg" aren't BAD records by any means, but the vocalist who took over after Lord Worm (who's the king of death metal vocals) pretty much BLOW, and they sacrificed the killer groove that "BMF" and "NSV" had in favour of über-technical musicianship.

I don't think Mike DiSalvo "blows"... the production on those two albums was sharper and as you said, showcasing technicality... DiSalvo's vocals were more exact, which I think suited the material far more than Worm's out of control style. The lyrics were also FAR superior on the DiSalvo albums and the man had a 'I will kill you RIGHT FUCKING NOW' stage presence that Martin Lacroix certainly was missing (I have never seen Worm live so can't say how he carried himself onstage).

 

[Profanity]

None So Vile is one of the most brutal albums i've ever heard.

 

[Dark One]

Consider Gehenna on my radar. Seed of Man's Destruction rules.

 

[J.]

exactly what I thought.

 

[E-bortion]

Cryptopsy is legendary. I'll say nothing more.

 

[SonOfNun]

Cryptopsy - As has been stated, pick up the first two for sure. None So Vile is quite groovy and the bass stood out to me. Lots of noodling around that works really well.

Gehenna - Picked up First Spell, haven't spent a tremendous amount of time with it, but it came off as a "romantic" black metal of sorts somewhat like Stormblast.

 

[anonymousnick2001]

I know over-the-top-tech isn't your bag, but Whisper Supremacy is just on a completely different level of insanity. Giving it a listen wouldn't hurt.

NSV and BMF are essentials as well.