Iuramentum
Blood-Drowned ()
Wydane przez Self-financedRok wydania Kraj GermanyNapisał Wouter5
German Viking metal combo Iuramentum return after their debut “The Awakening” on Northfire Records. “Blood-Drowned” – the band’s latest promotional recording – is filled with exciting ideas but the band isn’t able to pull them off entirely as it is abundantly clear they are still in the demo phase. First of all, there is the band’s limited technical skill which forces them into the expected embryonal riffs, chord progressions and very basic rhythm sections. As a result the song structures sound forced and contrived, this can however still be forgiven since the band is only around for three years. The overall lack of brutality, brooding atmosphere and singular viciousness however forms a bigger problem. Unlike the earlier bands of this genre such as Amon Amarth, Enslaved or more black metal oriented outfits like Throne Of Ahaz this German unit misses the bite and at no point do they sound remotely threatening. Iuramentum’s vocal interplay between clean vocals and gruff grunts and the sparse use of acoustics is more than commendable as is their excellent sense for (early) In Flames like melody in both their riffs as leads/solos. The production is reasonably well with a crisp guitar tone, rumbling audible bass lines and a good sound for the drum kit. With an increased level of brutality, the inclusion of more Nordic melodies and dark atmosphere Iuramentum is bound to become a promising contender in the (very crowded) Viking metal genre. At this point they are just your avarage melodic death metal demo band flirting occasionally with the genre.
www.iuramentum.de
