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For a longstanding Death SS fan like me, a new album from the progenitors of Italian Metal is always something to look forward to. Before having listened to the album, its artwork had already got me interested – I found it vaguely reminiscent of Kiss’ “Destroyer” and was actually done by Emanuele Taglietti, a name familiar to fans of Italian adult comics.
Death SS had allegedly concluded a thematic cycle seven years ago with their “The 7th Seal” album so “Resurrection” is a reference to the band’s renewed eagerness to soldier on. Frankly I am indifferent to such esoteric notions – to me Death SS was always about the music and the emotions it created within my own psyche. However the title still sounds appropriate because the music style harks back about two decades through the band’s repertoire.
“Resurrection” has less of the polished Gothic sounds of “Panic” (2000) but the keyboards still retain an important role in the music. The album covers a wide variety of genres: from Thrash to Doom to straightforward Heavy Metal, yet the songs still have that unmistakable occult vibe that point their accusing fingers at Death SS. Female chanting spices up a number of songs. ‘The Crimson Shrine’ is one such instance - it kicks off with some upbeat melodies when female vocals serve the perfect bridge to a further onslaught of anthemic Metal. Great stuff!
Despite my words of praise, I felt that this album is not the band’s greatest work, particularly when placed alongside Death SS masterworks such as “Do What Thou Wilt” (1997) or “…In Death Of Steve Sylvester” (1988). Nonetheless, the album has lots of great moments. Apart from those already described, other things to watch out for are: the excellent riffing of ‘Darkest Night’ (in an otherwise unremarkable song); the dark moods and guitar solos of ‘The Devil’s Graal’; the chilling instrumental passages of ‘The Song Of Adoration’; and so on.
To my mind Death SS have never released a dud album and “Resurrection” certainly doesn’t break with this tradition. | ||||||||||||||||||
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