Mastiphal
Damnatio Memoriae ()
Wydane przez Witching Hour Productions/Code 7/Plastic Head DistributionRok wydania Kraj PolandNapisał Wouter8
Symphonic black metal like Devilish Impressions, Dimmu Borgir and (early) Hecate Enthroned. This Katowice-based act originally split up in 1998, but returned to action in 2009 with a new album scheduled for 2010. "Damnatio Memoriae" is a double retrospective album compiling all of Mastiphal's past recordings (which are all out of print) plus some previously unreleased live recordings. Most recognizable figure of this band is frontman Rafal "Flauros" Góral who now fronts dark metal combo Darzamat. The first cd starts off with Mastiphal's 1995 album "For a Glory of All Evil Spirits, Rise for Victory" which was originally released on Baron Records and a year later re-released by Nocturn Records. Added on to this album is a video of the band live in Lublin in 1994. The second cd comprises of the 1994 demo "Sowing Profane Seed", the independently released "Promo '96" and the audio companion to the Lublin live show of 1994. As with all earlier bands in the genre the ideas often overshadow the execution. Mastiphal had some pretty decent arrangements early on in their career. The drumming of Sarcueil in particular is a strong point and while the keyboards often absorb too much of the band's sound, the more death metal oriented riffing is solid although hardly spectacular. Operating mostly at midtempo the constantly changing dynamics, labyrinthine riffing more than serviceable drumming make most of this material worth a re-release. Mastiphal's earlier material doesn't quite rely as much on the keyboards as later material would and is far more brutal and straightforward compared to their later works. This album comes in a luxury double digipack with extensive artwork and recording information. "Damnatio Memoriae" is a welcome retrospective from one of Poland's most underrated black metal acts, who together with Christ Agony, never got the recognition and respect they deserved. Pick it up now while supplies last.
www.witchinghour.pl
