...SIŁA I PIĘKNO MUZYKI TKWIĄ W JEJ RÓŻNORODNOŚCI



Reedycja jedynej dużej płyty kultowego zespołu z Rosji grającego techniczny death metal!



Back in the early-90’s, unlike nowadays when every fifth worthy death metal outfit hails from Russia, the Russian metal scene didn’t seem very welcoming to the up-and-coming death metal fraternity. Korrozia Metalla and D.I.V. had their ventures into the more brutal, proto-deathy side of the genre at some stage, but it wasn’t until Graveside’s monumental “Sinful Accession” (1993) that Russia recognized the power of death. Death Vomit were next with their twisted, but utterly compelling, self-titled opus, closely followed by Necrocannibal with the excellent cavernous saga “Somnambulifornic Possession” (1994), before a trio of highly accomplished technical death metal outfits graced the field a year later, and completed the cycle: Hieronymus Bosch, Sieged Mind, and Succubus. Of those three it was only the latter who remained a one-album-wonder leaving the work reviewed here a milestone in the development of the genre on Russian ground.

Succubus can rightfully be considered one of the first death metal formations in Russia their first demo “Eternal Mutation” dating back from 1991. However, their beginnings were pretty humble containing some really sloppy, unrehearsed, noisy stuff high on brutality and very low on musicianship. However, the band acquired two prominent representatives of the metal arena later: the guitar player Vladimir Blesnov from the thrashers Zhelezny Potok, and above all the drummer Vasiliy Kazurov, a recognized authority on the Russian metal horizon with participations in a fair number of big Russian metal bands like the previously mentioned D.I.V. and Korrozia Metalla, but also Manic Depression, Empire Rising, etc.

With a line-up like this there was no delaying the release of their only full-length which hit the stores at roughly the same time as the debuts of the other two auteurs. The guys show a penchant for infectious, memorable melodies from the very beginning with the opening “Dark Ages” which is a dark atmospheric creeper with intricate arrangements and great melodic leads. The darkness becomes even deeper on “Shadows of the Past” which shreds with an inordinate amount of technicality before more dramatic accumulations settle in the middle bringing memories of Nocturnus’ glorious debut “The Key”; more stupendous technical passages follow suit in the second half as well as the obligatory lead sections. Time for meditation with the quiet ambient instrumental “Epitaph” before the title-track enters with another vortex of superb technical riffage and dark foreboding dramatism recalling the future exploits of acts like Theory in Practice and Misanthrope; watch out for the gorgeous lead-driven melodies later and more spiral-like intricacy as a finishing touch. A short, piano-driven instrumental (“Ambez Castle”) closes the first chapter from this addictive, dark gothic fairy tale.

More tales coming with “Tales”, a schizoid, super-technical deathster which unleashes the superb leads earlier this time with more prominent participation of the bass and really scary vocal performance, the regular deathy shouter now turning to some hellish black-ish screeches pitching it a bit higher. Expect quite a few stars to fall down on “Stars are Falling Down”, another nice orchestral instrumental; but things get back on track on “Liar” which unleashes the next in line pleiad of psychotic rifforamas keeping the proceedings within the stomping mid-tempo. “Secret Face... sorry, Name” speeds up admirably recalling mid-period Death with virtuoso leads floating around amidst jarring rhythmic patterns and soaring melodic tunes; a more than worthy epitaph to this exquisite saga which is actually wrapped on by the quiet atmospheric instrumentalism “Winter Saga”, the guys obviously enamored with these mellow interludes which are actually fairly effective in establishing the requisite cold dark atmosphere.

An overall marvellous recording we have here, putting all that’s outstanding technical death metal on the table. Even after all these years, with Russia supplying some of the finest death metal in the new millennium, it’s hard to name a better entry into the death metal catalogue. One may argue that Hieronymus Bosch’s labyrinthine, more elaborate excursions deserve bigger attention as well as the ones composed by more serious, progressive-inclined, outfits like Grace Disgraced, Funeral Speech, and Beheaded Zombie, to give a few notable examples; but having in mind a concise, digested outburst of genius contained within slightly above half an hour, summing up all that immaculately executed technical death metal stands for, this effort simply has no rivals, and not only in Russia. Some may complain about the frequent quiet breaks inserted at will, but it would be hard to imagine them isolated from the interconnected tapestry that this album represents, and in the long run they do create a peaceful symbiosis with the metallic parts, even enhancing their impact, if you like, by providing the desirable calm before the storm: how can you feel the storm’s real rage if there’s no calm before it.

Like the father of death metal Mr. Chuck Schuldiner (R.I.P.) said so well “Destiny is what we all seek”… Well, we have found it here, and the whole genre’s destiny has been quite bright with this album as a guiding light all these years. And, as a finale, here is a secret revealed, at least to those who haven’t already done their own research into the band’s history: the frontman turns to be a frontwoman, operating under the alias Succubus (of course!), the real name Svetlana Karlikova-Shigal. The succubus within her has been lying dormant for quite some time… rest assured that another rise of the demon is inevitable (according to various myths and legends, it can’t be put to sleep for good), and another chapter of Russian folklore is about to be assembled sooner or later, traditionally wrapped in a lustrous cover of technical death metal wizardry.

Bayern



..::TRACK-LIST::..

1. Only Emptiness... / Dark Ages 4:50
2. Shadows Of Past 4:10
3. Epitaph 2:42
4. Destiny 5:49
5. Amber Castle 1:45
6. Tales (Black Chroniecles) 3:31
7. The Stars Are Falling Down (A Vision From The Cristal Void) 2:34
8. Liar 3:20
9. Secret Name / Winter Saga 7:55

Bonus Tracks:
10. Epitaph 2:43
11. Winter Saga 2:35



..::OBSADA::..

Vasily Kazurov - drums
Svetlana Karlikova - guitars, songwriting
Boris Tsarev - bass
Volodia Blesnov - guitars
Eddi Erikson - vocals, lyrics




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



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