Insidious Disease
Shadowcast
Rating
Style: Black/Death Metal
Release date: July 12th 2010
 

When you look up the term this all-star band chose as their name, in a medical lexicon you get something like this:
”A disease existing, without marked symptoms, but ready to become active upon some slight occasion; a disease appearing not to be as bad as it really is.”

The latter especially holds true for the crew behind the black/death album Shadowcast.

Believe me when I say that I would have liked to have started this review in a different way. I was looking so much forward to this album. That is why it has taken me so long to review it! I kept looking for a hidden treasure, which was not there. Before now, I considered this for an introduction to my review: 

”What does Nile, Dimmu Borgir, Old Man’s Child, Angelcorpse and Napalm Death have in common, besides being among my very favorite bands? Members of Isidious Disease, that’s what!”

In other words: This does not sound bad at all. This actually can never be bad! But it was…

The music is not at all terrible. It rocks in that massive-wall-of-blast-beats kind of way, spreading gore and darkness without becoming a cliché or – Satan forbid – cheesy. But that is simply not enough when it comes from a band with such a line-up. These musicians are definitely too good to deliver such a mediocre sound, such uninventive chords, such a generally standard recording.

I know I am being subjective as Hell, but what is a review but one mans opinion? I feel let down by my heroes – there! I said it – and my only possible reaction is the lame rating at the top of this page.

It starts out so very good. Any album that kicks off with a brutal ”BOMBS AWAY!” has my immediate attention. From thereon the songs just fade away, until the album becomes a sort of background noise. Well-disciplined and highly energetic background noise, but background noise none-the-less.

I am sure Insidious Disease must have something else in them. Right now they are ”without marked symptoms, but ready to become active”. I certainly hope I am not going to wait long for the breakout. With that much power and experience behind the instruments, this could become a pandemic bordering on the apocalyptic.


Tracklist

1. Nuclear Salvation (03:29)
2. Boundless (04:27)
3. The Essence of Neglect (04:13)
4. Abortion Stew (05:31)
5. The Desire (04:09)
6. Rituals of Bloodshed (03:20)
7. Facemask (04:43)
8. Value in Flesh (04:13)
9. Abandonment (02:13)

Label: Century Media
Distribution: EMI (Denmark)
Reviewed by: Martin Schjönning
Date: July 5th 2010
Website: www.myspace.com/insidiousdisease