Harasai
Psychotic Kingdom ()
Wydane przez Quality Steel Records/Soul Food Music DistributionRok wydania Kraj GermanyNapisał Wouter7
Who knew? No, I mean it. Who knew? There are still bands out there which are able to make Gothenburg death metal that doesn’t completely blow. Oh sure, they are German and those krauts mostly specialize in cheesy power metal, but this is pretty good. Sure, it probably won’t appeal to hipster douchebags and stupid kids, cos there’s not a trace of effeminate metalcore in here – but since when did that become important? Do we want to cater to the stupid kids? What’s this? The video game industry? No. This seriously reminds me of the early albums by Callenish Circle, Detonation, and Fragments Of Unbecoming. All of which, to my recollection at least, did this genre pretty well without stumbling into its many pitfalls. Effrontery from Ukraine did this recently quite well too. This is far better than most what is released in this decrepit genre. Not that the bar has been set significantly high in the last decade or so. I’m still reeling from that one time I reviewed Enforsaken years ago. Everybody and their mother is still content to rip off At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity, but at least these longhaired chaps aren’t stupid about it. Yeah, you still get the occasional happy melody, emotional clean vocals or some sugary riffs here and there, but what gives? This stuff isn’t exactly brutal or very heavy, but there are songs. Actual songs. What a novel concept. Yeah, those piano interludes are pushing it a bit. Geez, after 15 years of reviewing I’m still able to be surprised by albums. Color me fucken surprised. Oh yeah, the band’s name is completely fucken stupid. Heresy, Harasai, hara-kiri, seppuku – see? I can play this game too. What is a psychotic kingdom supposed to be exactly? A regal kingdom of mental patients? So, there you have it. Decent Gothenburg death metal from Germany. I don’t exactly have much to say about this, cos I’m still surprised I actually like this. That should tell you something right there. Anyway, I’ve been rambling long enough. Give these guys a listen, maybe you’ll like it.
www.quality-steel.de
