Damnation – Destructo Evangelia
Candlelight Records/Threeman Recordings – September 7th, 2004
By Jason Jordan
I think I’ll spare you the history lesson on this one, but I will say that hilarity ensues upon realizing that two contributors to
Damnation are named “Churchburner” and “Insulter of jesus christ.” More often than not,
Destructo Evangelia is reminiscent of
Darkthrone: raw black metal that is under-produced, and usually contains more punk vibes than a
Ramones or
Sex Pistols album.
“Invocation of the Storms” is a very cool introduction to the full-length. As you may infer, ever-present thunder accosts the sound waves while a simple riff (and drumbeat) fades in then out. Militaristic snare helms the forefront at the 1:36 minute mark, while bombastic, meaty bass drum rhythms provide the background spine. Overall, the intro prepares us for the onslaught, and “Invocation of the Storms” conveys the concept of war much better than, say,
Mayhem’s Grand Declaration of War ever did. “Insulter of Jesus Christ!” uses a distinct
Black Sabbath riff, even though black vox enter soon afterwards. The song plods along, but the level of seriousness seems to be at a bare minimum; it’s tough to iterate aggression when your sound echoes those ‘70’s “metallers.” “Night Eternal” is more attune to the black metal side of things. Naturally, blastbeats appear while grim vocals provide rousing support. Yeah, gr1m, n3kr0, tr00, kvlt, yada, yada, yada. The 2:00 minute mark ushers in a brilliant passage, but – ultimately – the momentum peters out too soon. “Destructo Evangelia” utilizes a melodious beginning, which is later usurped by fury. “Bloody Vengeance” is mostly a slow opus. “When Creation Dies” could easily pass for
Darkthrone, and that’s either a positive or negative thing depending on your view. Notable guitar solo at the 5:00 minute mark is perhaps the song’s climax. “Eternal Black” and “Armageddon” follow the mold that was cast earlier.
Destructo Evangelia is worth delving into, but you know – as well as I – that it’s not going to make you discard
Transilvanian Hunger. And, maybe it’s not supposed to.
Damnation are fairly reputable, and should be treated as such.
7.5/10
Official Candlelight Records website
Official Threeman Recordings website
