Svart Crown
Witnessing the Fall ()
Wydane przez Listenable RecordsRok wydania Kraj FranceNapisał Wouter7
After a sole demo session in 2006 and their 2008 "Ages Of Decay" debut on Rupture Music these French death/black metallers now return on prestigious French label Listenable Records. With a line-up including drumbeast Gaël Barthélemy (Balrog, Drowning, ex-Diabolic) it is clear that this act is made up of seasoned veterans. "Witnessing the Fall" is, sonically, technically proficient occult death metal down the line of post-"Pandemonic Incantations" era Behemoth, "Awakening Of the Liar" era Hate and Diabolic's "Infinity Through Purification", coincidentally Barthélemy's sole recording with that American act. Compared to the likes of Behemoth and Nile, Svart Crown doesn't nearly rely as much on Oriental and Egyptian scales in their guitar work as the former or are as technically masturbatory and indulgent as the latter. The vocals of sole original member JB Le Bail aren't nearly as commanding nor as venomous as for instance Behemoth's Nergal or Immolation's Ross Dolan. The epic closing track 'Of Sulphur and Fire' is the band's finest hour and crowning achievement of this offering. Recorded at BST Studio by Sébastien Tuvi (Aosoth, Hell Militia, Order Of Apollyon) the production is crisp and crunchy with a healthy bottom end groove. The drums were tracked at Studio des Variétés with mixing and mastering completed at Studio St Marthe by Francis Caste (Kickback, Arkhon Infaustus, Phazm). The cover artwork, design and lay-out are nothing short of amazing. Overall is "Witnessing the Fall" a very promising major label debut for this French act, hopefully they'll be able to cement their position in the European scene.
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