In the end of the eighties and early nineties this German death metal band was
described as the German version of Death. Their music was indeed influenced by
that band for a very big part, but somehow the band had something obstinate also.
Part of the line up is the same as on their 'Cursed' and 'Odium' album Harry
Busse (guitar) and Sebastian Swart (bass) still from the backbone of the band. I
thought that Marc Grewe would still be singing in the band, but after the
release of the single "God Is Evil" he left the band and on this new album he is
replaced by Disbelief shouter Karsten Jäger. Sotirios Kelekidis (bass) and
drummer Marc Reign (ex-Destruction) complete the 'Ungod' line up.
New vocalist Karsten is the ideal follow up of Marc, his grunting sticks
perfectly to the music, although his grunts are not as long lasting as Marc used
to do on the 'Cursed' and 'Odium' albums. I think that a lot of fans will be
pleased that the music sounds like we are used from the band on their first two
albums and not as their more experimental album 'Feel Sorry For the Fanatic'. I
would recognize the band immediately because of the typical guitar sound of the
riffs and the typical Morgoth drumming. It sure has a lot in common with Death
in their 'Leprocy' period, but it still sounds different.
The first song has a
typical kind of howling Paradise Lost guitar lead in the beginning, but when the
tempo speeds up, the resemblances with Death appear. Karsten has indeed a kind
of Chuck sound in his voice, but with an own identity. "Voice of Slumber" is one
of the many favorites of mine on this album, the rattling drums in combination
with the rumbling riffs and the tempo changes make it an interesting song. The
same can be said about the midtempo songs like "Snakestate" and "Black Enemy". "Descent
Into Hell" is a faster track with some slower tempo changes.
The title track has
a slow doomy start and you will wait for a singing part in vein because this is
an instrumental track. The next three songs could all have been a part of their
first two albums, with both slower and faster parts. The music in a lot of songs
have besides the typical Death influences slower parts that remind of old
Obituary. Listen for example to the start of the instrumental "The Dark Sleep",
which could be a beginning of an Obituary song as well.
A great comeback album for this German death metal band for fans of the early
hour and old school death metal addicts.
