extreme metal
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"Well Serge, that's quite a lazy genre classification you've put up there, just 'extreme metal'"? Well, of course it is, that line up there is not big enough to put everything in. I could have written 'death metal, black metal, hardcore, industrial, thrash metal, grindcore, metalcore and progressive metal' but then it would be useless to write the rest of the review, wouldn't it? So, this is extreme metal, and if I may add, it's extreme metal at its finest.
'Scolopendra' is a genus of centipedes. They're predators, taking prey as large as rodents and even bats with a painful and venomous bite. The venoms of Scolopendra species contain compounds such as serotonin, haemolytic phospholipase A, a cardiotoxic protein and a cytolysin. Why am I telling you this? Well, mainly because it perfectly describes this Parisian band. Like the animal, Scolopendra, the band, sounds venomous and very painful and it has claws in many extreme directions.
The album opens with an intro which reveals a first glimpse of the industrial elements. Then, 'Purity' blasts through my speakers, blending death metal and thrash metal together. The song is ferocious, with brilliant drums and ripping guitars. Over those, the vocalist screams out his lungs and probably some other intestines too. 'Awake Nightmare' repeats that recipe, but gradually it starts feeling like there's more to it than this.
'Spartan Killer Instinct' adds some blackened influences to the already ruthless death-thrash sound, obviously in the form of blast-beats. Yet, suddenly, I can't help but think about Fear Factory and since I'm mentioning bands here, I've thought of Slayer, Pantera, Meshuggah, Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Dismember and probably some others too. I told you this was an extreme metal album and a damn good one too.In fact, that was only the first Cycle.
There are two more to go, each with some stunning pieces of music. In 'Mental Terror' I can clearly hear some Ministry influences while 'Psychic Paralysis' brings old Impaled Nazarene to mind. But, before you think this French act is a copycat, they always sound like Scolopendra. Even with all those influences, or maybe because of them, this band created an own distinct and very modern sounding sound, which definitely is a plus.
So yeah, I recommend this to any fan of extreme metal out there. This stuff grinds, claws, scratches and bites and it's not planning to let go anytime soon. Let's hope this album is followed by a world tour because these guys certainly deserve it. No doubt in my mind that songs like 'Psychotic Mass Murderer' and closer 'Soul Dissolution' cause massive mosh pits everywhere they come.
Serge
'Scolopendra' is a genus of centipedes. They're predators, taking prey as large as rodents and even bats with a painful and venomous bite. The venoms of Scolopendra species contain compounds such as serotonin, haemolytic phospholipase A, a cardiotoxic protein and a cytolysin. Why am I telling you this? Well, mainly because it perfectly describes this Parisian band. Like the animal, Scolopendra, the band, sounds venomous and very painful and it has claws in many extreme directions.
The album opens with an intro which reveals a first glimpse of the industrial elements. Then, 'Purity' blasts through my speakers, blending death metal and thrash metal together. The song is ferocious, with brilliant drums and ripping guitars. Over those, the vocalist screams out his lungs and probably some other intestines too. 'Awake Nightmare' repeats that recipe, but gradually it starts feeling like there's more to it than this.
'Spartan Killer Instinct' adds some blackened influences to the already ruthless death-thrash sound, obviously in the form of blast-beats. Yet, suddenly, I can't help but think about Fear Factory and since I'm mentioning bands here, I've thought of Slayer, Pantera, Meshuggah, Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Dismember and probably some others too. I told you this was an extreme metal album and a damn good one too.In fact, that was only the first Cycle.
There are two more to go, each with some stunning pieces of music. In 'Mental Terror' I can clearly hear some Ministry influences while 'Psychic Paralysis' brings old Impaled Nazarene to mind. But, before you think this French act is a copycat, they always sound like Scolopendra. Even with all those influences, or maybe because of them, this band created an own distinct and very modern sounding sound, which definitely is a plus.
So yeah, I recommend this to any fan of extreme metal out there. This stuff grinds, claws, scratches and bites and it's not planning to let go anytime soon. Let's hope this album is followed by a world tour because these guys certainly deserve it. No doubt in my mind that songs like 'Psychotic Mass Murderer' and closer 'Soul Dissolution' cause massive mosh pits everywhere they come.
Serge
