When I think of Antidemon I think of their first full length album Demonicidio, Which is the only material of theirs I have ever heard, and on an internet radio station that was broadcasting at less that 100kbps so the sound quality was not great. Weather or not that was the stream of the radio station or the quality of the album I am not sure but needless to say I was not impressed as I really tend to like my music, for the most part, more well produced. Of course since then several years have passed and I have found myself enjoying some very raw lo-fi unblack metal at times.
When I put this cd into my player I was blasted face first into a face melting wall of crushing Death metal fury the likes of which I haven’t seen in a while from this genre. Don’t get me wrong I have seen it in Deathcore, Metalcore, Hardcore, etc, but not in Death-metal. Now that is not to say that I haven’t heard or don’t own many many brutally face melting bone crushing Death Metal albums as I do, but they all have one thing in common. They all have an into in the form of a song from a few seconds to just over a minute or the first song has an intro or musical interlude leading to the brutality that is to come. Not this album in less than 2 seconds after put in the player you are smacked in the face with a brutal fury that does not stop once until the album ends.
The guitar riffs are fast, furious and even intricate at times giving you a variety of Death and even Grind. The drums are very technical yet at times chaotically fast but not so much as to distract but rather to support the whole of the album. The bass at times is more in the background and harder to pick out but that isn’t a bad thing either as the bass gives the overall music more of a crunch to it that seems to blend the whole package together fairly seamlessly. Vocals, well, they are as bone crushing as they can be. Brutal fast and with lyrics on some songs in English and some in Spanish. It tends to remind me of the way Lament presented their vocals on Tears For A Leper.
The title track ‘ApocalypseNow’ hits hard not just in fury and speed but in the message as well. Painting the picture of the destruction of the world with the return of Christ bringing his bride home. ‘Infernal’ show’s the choice that all have to make between good and evil, heaven and hell in their life on this earth while ‘Welcome To Death’ is a statement to those who are paying for their sins literally welcoming them to their choice. ‘DEATH. Virus’ tells of the earth destroying, or, earth cleansing depending on your point of view, that prepares the way for the end of time.
All of the songs are based upon Scripture while Revelations is the main focus all of the songs are prophetic in nature from various books in the bible and warn of the end of time and urge the listener to make the choice to live for Christ or suffer the eternal separation from God that comes to those who chooses not to accept Christ. The final song on the album is literally a look into Hell and to those who choose to not accept Christ. They are lamenting that they made the wrong choice and now must suffer the consequences in hell forever. Yet in the midst of this there is of all things a praise and worship song. Yes you heard that right. Rei Da Gloria (King Of Glory) is the praise and worship song of Psalm 24. It is fresh to see a Praise and Worship Death Metal song as there aren’t many around.
The Production on this album is very good. It is not overproduced or over compressed like many Death Metal, but at the same time, this is a far better production of Antidemon than the two songs I have heard in the past. I was expecting much the same and was blown away at how well the sound quality and production quality was on this album.
In summary, Lyrically this album gives the listener a huge amount to digest and provokes the listener with all urgency to the very real fact that time is running out and pleas for the listener to Seek Christ before it is too late. Musically, this album is a dominate example of Brutal Death metal. While there have been many good Death Metal Albums over the years and several even this year I find my self in awe of the total package here with this one. It is in my opinion one of the best Death Metal albums of all time; right up there with Mortification – Scrolls Of The Megilloth and the other greatest Death Metal albums in Christian Metal, possibly even one the best Death Metal albums of all time!
Rating: 5/5
Review by: Larry Versaw
