DiabolicuM | facebook | bandcamp |
Released on May 29, 2015 via Code666
I hadn’t had the pleasure of hearing DiabolicuM’s music before I chose to review their latest album, ia Pazuzu, and needless to say, diving into a review blind-sided is usually a difficult proposition to make. It’s difficult to choose an album based on a vague description, which in DiabolicuM’s case, was kvlt black metal. I don’t particularly relish this description in hindsight, now that I’ve heard their music, but that doesn’t mean that I’m disappointed. In fact, its quite an unexpected pleasure to be reviewing an album after no preconceived notions arise from the onset, because everything instead becomes a pleasant surprise.
Or a revolting disappointment. Thankfully, my reaction is closer to the former, and not the latter. The vocalist on this band sounds absolutely primed for war. The songwriting is stellar, in part, the lyrics and vocal arrangements give the album strength, if not the instrumentation, particularly the use of a drum machine.
The production also contributes to the negative perception that the recording sounds too modern and digital-sounding. Call me a poser and what you will, but my name isn’t Al Necro for nothing. More than a simple disdain for modern production values, I think the production has to suit the instrumentation, and DiabolicuM could have used a dirtier sound. The live drums and lack of polish suit a band that DiabolicuM might aspire comparisons with, such as Behemoth. While the drum machine might pound the double-bass end with a precision that a live drummer cannot match, it is simply an artificial sound and one that often strikes me as annoying.
The guitars have some quality play here. Definitely rooted in black metal, the riffs are one of the positives that the listener will come away with on ia Pazuzu. I feel more closely to a meeting of minds between Anaal Nathrakh and Behemoth as a bottomline comparison, but it still one that is made with fair warning. Listen to the album before judging.
The blasts and industrial strength of the rhythm section come with comparisons to Anaal Nathrakh, but within a much smaller range of song structure. The vocal segments are strong here, as in some songs by Behemoth, especially track seven, ‘One Man’s War’, and track five, ‘Salvation Through Vengeance’. They also bridge comparisons to Hour of Penance, albeit with less technical riff-work. Track three, makes an apt use of industrial touches. Still, one can’t deny that DiabolicuM could have used more elements, more experimentation. The vocalist, in this case, Niklas Kvarforth of Shining fame, I believe, absolutely rips here. He doesn’t use his magnificent range to full effect here, preferring to let the misanthropic quality of their sound suffocate the listener with relentless pummeling rhythms and cold, razor-like riffs.
That is until, track eight, ‘Angelmaker’, starts leaving the speakers. Kvarforth’s spoken-word vocals are welcome here, as is the solo. I wish that more of these elements were used throughout the album. The ambient touches such as keyboards and samples add a dimension to the album, albeit were not used enough. Track four, ‘Genocide Bliss’, on the other hand uses straight-away black metal paradigm as structure, and is a winner, especially on guitar, featuring a solo and a main riff that are remarkably effective. The track is also notable for female vocals that provide a haunting quality to the song.
Overall, this is industrial black metal that fans of this subgenre will not dare miss for the rare opportunity of hearing a band that does it quite well.
