The Seventh Gate - None So Bloody as the Kingdom of Christ
Satan Rock Records srr003 August 2001
By Russell Garwood
The Seventh Gate are a Virginian trio who have released two demos and a full length album on their own independent record label Satan Rock Records. Their full length album None So Bloody as the Kingdom of Christ, was recorded with drummer Paul Littlefield, Nick Ellis on guitar and bass, and vocalist Steve Kerchner. Their music is a concoction of several forms of extreme metal, most notably brutal death and grind, but with black and crust influences also discernible, all gelled by misanthropic subject matter, occasional melodic sections, merciless onslaughts, frequent breakdowns and crescendos, and jet black atmosphere.
The varied vocals are always used to full effect, whether spoken/recited, shouted, sung or growled. There are two predominate growls; one deep and guttural, the other a more high pitched rasp at times bordering on a screech. Also present are some eerie vocal samples, notably track ten, featuring a killer talking about his crimes. The guitars are heavy but at times almost catchy, and occasional acoustics add variety and make the songs interesting. The bass is relatively audible, and provides a powerful lowend, while the drums are also reasonably well-performed and varied. Most songs contain numerous time changes and shifts in style which hold your interest in what could otherwise be a slightly monotonous album.
Standouts include darkly humorous The Mary Shelly Song, opener The Eternal for its cheesy horror film-inspired intro and excellent dual vocal performance, the time change-ridden and almost catchy To Forget, Mine Will Rise for the acoustic guitar sections with growls, and Battered Skin for the amusing gore film intro and impressive bass work. There are also two hidden tracks, one purely spoken, the other a definite standout with sung vocals and a grungey feel. All in all this is a well rounded release. The production could be cleaner, but then the music would lose its raw feel. The Seventh Gate have created an interesting album that fans of non-brutal death (and any form of non-mainstream metal) can easily enjoy while being heavy in the extreme and avoiding monotony - the usual pitfall for such ferocious music.
The group's current line-up stands as Steven F. Kerchner II - Vocal Decimation and Self Inflicted Trauma, Nick Ellis - Stringed assualt [sic] and Back up War Cry, Michael Beer Battledrums, Edson Guerro - Lowend Devastation. The band, at present writing new material for their next album, recently self-released their latest demo, Cheap Sex and Painkillers.
Satan Rock Records srr003 August 2001
By Russell Garwood
The Seventh Gate are a Virginian trio who have released two demos and a full length album on their own independent record label Satan Rock Records. Their full length album None So Bloody as the Kingdom of Christ, was recorded with drummer Paul Littlefield, Nick Ellis on guitar and bass, and vocalist Steve Kerchner. Their music is a concoction of several forms of extreme metal, most notably brutal death and grind, but with black and crust influences also discernible, all gelled by misanthropic subject matter, occasional melodic sections, merciless onslaughts, frequent breakdowns and crescendos, and jet black atmosphere.
The varied vocals are always used to full effect, whether spoken/recited, shouted, sung or growled. There are two predominate growls; one deep and guttural, the other a more high pitched rasp at times bordering on a screech. Also present are some eerie vocal samples, notably track ten, featuring a killer talking about his crimes. The guitars are heavy but at times almost catchy, and occasional acoustics add variety and make the songs interesting. The bass is relatively audible, and provides a powerful lowend, while the drums are also reasonably well-performed and varied. Most songs contain numerous time changes and shifts in style which hold your interest in what could otherwise be a slightly monotonous album.
Standouts include darkly humorous The Mary Shelly Song, opener The Eternal for its cheesy horror film-inspired intro and excellent dual vocal performance, the time change-ridden and almost catchy To Forget, Mine Will Rise for the acoustic guitar sections with growls, and Battered Skin for the amusing gore film intro and impressive bass work. There are also two hidden tracks, one purely spoken, the other a definite standout with sung vocals and a grungey feel. All in all this is a well rounded release. The production could be cleaner, but then the music would lose its raw feel. The Seventh Gate have created an interesting album that fans of non-brutal death (and any form of non-mainstream metal) can easily enjoy while being heavy in the extreme and avoiding monotony - the usual pitfall for such ferocious music.
The group's current line-up stands as Steven F. Kerchner II - Vocal Decimation and Self Inflicted Trauma, Nick Ellis - Stringed assualt [sic] and Back up War Cry, Michael Beer Battledrums, Edson Guerro - Lowend Devastation. The band, at present writing new material for their next album, recently self-released their latest demo, Cheap Sex and Painkillers.
