Monday, November 4, 2024
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Label: Moon Records / Black Death Productions

Date: May 23rd, 2021

None was so jubilant as me when I found out Moon Records is back, all guns blazing, with two new releases to be released soon. Okay, in cooperation with other Polish labels, but still… I have strong feelings towards the label and this came as very good news to me.

So, when the opportunity arose (and it did so quite quickly) a trade was set up. Old school style, naturally. Thus I have the fortune to browse through the new EP by the relatively young one-man band coming from Portland, USA.

Well, perhaps I am not all that fortunate this time.

It seems my luck when it comes to solo outputs around the globe has run out. This time in particular, my ears are being tormented by twenty one minutes of sonic devastation that can best be described as grinding death / black metal.

Actually, the EP is just over nine minutes long, but the consumers of “Death, the Final Awakening” are treated with a bonus. Debut demo by this experienced man. If my information is correct, VXR is no stranger to the scene, performing in many bands and on many releases. However, all the maturity and experience gained is swallowed up by the gruesome production work. Cacophony reigns supreme and only fragments prevail to be clearly heard and understood. And it is even worse on the demo.

Now, one might argue that there cannot be too many details to be found within tracks that last, on average, about a minute and a half. Another one might argue that I’m just not getting it, the monstrosity, utter brutality and relentless violence. And both can be correct. But that doesn’t rescue this release from being unimaginative, boring and downright unnecessary.

What is discernible among this nuclear detonation of an EP is fairly simple, minimalistic and evokes nothing within the listener. Just wrath for the sake of wrath. Not even an attempt to attempt to make something interesting, or at least fresh sounding. There’s a short solo on “Anthichrist of the Modern World”, but it does absolutely nothing to upgrade the track, even if it is a decent change of pace.

Begging your pardon, but Blasphemy did it better. Von did it better, too. Archgoat in their early days, Beherit… Hundreds of them. Conduit Of Chaos stands no chance between them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAn225SxDPQ

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A musician by choice and a journalist by chance. However, much better at the latter one. Self taught reviewer for music and musical literature. Radio host when presented with an opportunity, video presenter when necessity calls for it. A future who-knows-what-else, since the curiosity and drive often surpass the possibilities and capability. But altogether a nice guy!