|
Of The Fallen – Demonic Spectres Of War
Of The Fallen – Demonic Spectres Of War
Self-released - Promo 2002
By Russell Garwood
Formed in January 1997, Of The Fallen’s core line up comprises bassist Ogre, guitarist Steve and Jon on vocals and keys, while three drummers and three guitarists have come and gone. “Demonic Spectres Of War” is the band’s third and latest demo, recorded in two working days on a very low budget.
The band play raw, straightforward but powerful black metal. Their music is competently written and proficiently performed. The guitars are precise with enough melody to differentiate the tracks, drums underpin the music well, providing effective support, and the vocals range from more death-orientated witch screams to singing. Well-placed keyboards and acoustics add to the music rather than dominating, and the bass (when audible) is impressive.
Opener “Unleash Damnation” is one of the heavier tracks on the album, in which rolling double bass drives the melodic music well, while some raw singing adds variation to the vocals. Next comes “Ride Upon The Wings Of Vengeance” in which spoken passages are used for the first time to good effect. Symphonics are also introduced towards the end of the song, but “Demonic Spectres Of War” returns to blasting fury and stays there for the short, extreme song. Instrumental “Tides Of Battle” consists solely of strings and acts as an interesting interlude before “Oceans Of Blood” opens with some frantic bass and drum work before progressing into a fast heavy song, while the classical elements remain for a time. “Departure” is an acoustic instrumental that finishes the album on a reflective note.
The production on “ Demonic Spectres Of War” is excellent, especially for a black metal demo, and while the band aren’t pushing any boundaries, their music is well written and performed. Of The Fallen are currently working on new material for a full length album, due to be self-released in January of 2003.
|
