Allerjen - Resurrection
Gomek Records - GOMEK 06 - 2006
By Philip Whitehouse
Before I kick this review off, I'd like to point out that this entire album is available for free as a .zip file of mp3s from Gomek Records. In fact, every release on Gomek's roster is available in its entirety, for free. Just so you know that even
Allerjen don't expect you to pay for this. Y'see, despite having been around since 2001 (back when they were known as
Sphere), it doesn't seem that the Manchester quintet today known as
Allerjen really know what they're doing. Despite apparently having had access to decent recording facilities to commit their material to posterity,
Allerjen often seem to have trouble playing together in time - noticeably sloppy performances detriment from the material on offer, which, to be honest, isn't all that special in itself.
Sloppy, sub-thrash riffs and simplistic power chord progressions make up the majority of the guitarwork, although there is a nice clean guitar part as the intro to the album's first track. The vocal style pretty much sticks with a throaty roar throughout, with the exception of sixth track 'Scorch' which introduces some more death metal (read: incomprehensible) growls and gargles to the mix. The drumming is solid but unexceptional, and the bass largely inaudible (apart from the somewhat ill-judged slap-bass attempt kicking off 'Scorch').
To be honest, there's not a lot here to recommend. The material isn't particularly technical, yet is sloppily played. The songwriting is functional at best, and the overall feeling I get from listening to
Resurrection is; how, without substantially rigging the proceedings, did
Allerjen get voted sixth best unsigned band in the 2005 Terrorizer reader's polls? Apparently, they're tipped to be at this year's Download festival as well. Well, so am I, and if
Allerjen turn up, I'll be sure to ask anyone who goes to watch them just what the appeal is.
3.5/10
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Official Allerjen Website
Official Gomek Records Website
