|
Reviews
Blabbermouth.net
All hail Australian extreme metal! So many of the black, death, and grindcore bands in that country make some of the most blasphemous, blast beaten, drunk-ass metal anywhere in the world. DESTROYER 666, ABOMINATOR, you name it, the flames dance high in the night sky and ears bleed profusely. Now, seemingly out of nowhere, come GUILD OF DESTRUCTION (hereinafter referred to most appropriately as G.O.D.) and an absolute motherfucker of a death metal disc called "Into Oblivion". Count this one as a belated addition to my best-of 2007 list because this baby knocks the stuffing out of scads of many better known bands. And to think I almost overlooked this one.
Giving new meaning to "power trio," "Into Oblivion" works on many levels, but perhaps most importantly the aural atrocity of it all transcends individual compositions. With a triumphant stomp 'n shout of "Kill! Kill! Kill!" G.O.D. begins a hellish journey through eight tracks of tank division warfare that sees the band deftly incorporating black metal and dirty thrash sections into these old-school spirited punishers. In fact, I'd be more inclined to use a genre descriptor like "war metal" in place of "black metal," as the former defines that distinctly Australian way of leaving a path of scorched earth. You can hear it on a track like "River Styxxx" with its superb thrash changeups, as well as the pummeling cadence of "Prey". Additionally, the album's sound is natural and raw, yet the mix is clear and muscular. It's nice to hear guitar solos played with feeling over nothing more than a bass line and drum beat too.
And good goat, Loc's vocals are obscene! His growl is deep and menacing, his shriek demonically possessed and convincing beyond belief. His shining moment comes on album highlight "Bile Enthroned" during which his gruff, shouted vocals (during which his accent bleeds through most effectively) are commanding and the kind of thing that makes one tense up and prepare for the worst. Elsewhere, dirty and distorted bass lines are left naked when the music drops out as some kind of warning to the abomination soon to follow. Speeding double-bass cracks the earth, strings are bent in INCANTATION-esque fashion on "Flesh Canvas", and agonizing screams and maniacal outbursts slice through the air on the title track before a lengthy acoustic outro ends the album as visions of smoldering bodies strewn across a battlefield enter the mind.
The rest of the world better pray to their god that these boys aren't allowed to leave the country. You don't know terrorism until you've heard "Into Oblivion".
Burning Misery
Guild Of Destruction, a brutal black/death metal band that started in 2002 Melbourne Australia. After a couple releases Guild Of Destruction and Grindhead records brought us this Technical Black - Death Metal album "Into Oblivion". Twisted and killer guitar riffs with aggressive drums is the main material what Guild Of Destruction is playing. And then we have the hellish double vocals with a dry old school throat and psycho intense screaming. How old school can it be? Well this is a mixture of Immolation and their Dawn Of Possession, Incantation with Onward to Golgotha and Death in their Leprosy period.
This is really some good unholy death metal shit, but what else do expect with titles such as: Kill Kill Kill, Infected Mind and the title track Into Oblivion. Their fast and up-tempo moves are alternated with some mid tempo death metal parts and makes this cd absolutely not boring but very good to listen. The cool dry recording sound is excellent for this kind of extreme metal, not to heavy but just how it should be. The old school flavor that is hanging above this album is a must for the freaks who like I the old way, no shit guys just try them out! 4/5
The Metal Forge
Guild Of Destruction, a band from the western suburbs of Melbourne, or as they are becoming better known, G.O.D are a band that have already proven themselves by touring with some of the best of Australia’s death metal acts. Combining old school death metal with a hint of thrash and a dash of black metal, these guys have created an album that breaths pure evil and never stops to take a breath during the carnage.
Opening with the all out assault of Kill, Kill, Kill, G.O.D. showcase their heaviness with deadly double kick drum action and distorted guitars that never consider slowing down, easily switching between all out shredding and fast as hell riffs that show that these guys have gone all out with the musicianship on the album, not backing down from the challenge of creating something that has to be backed up with a live show of equal skill and precision.
The vocals are varied, ranging from death growls reminiscent of Morbid Angel, down tuned and rumbling below the pitch of the guitars, and Norwegian black metal howling inspired by bands such as early Emperor. This is complimented by a raw production that keeps the brutality of such a devastating band intact without giving it the freedom to go outside the boundaries of what is trying to be achieved here.
The album is varied and solid throughout, but standout tracks include opener Kill, Kill, Kill, and the concluding title track Into Oblivion, which is a play on the senses almost in the same style as doom/drone band Sunn O))), as pure evil seeps from the speakers and summons all hell upon the room, sending you into a nervous breakdown, before bringing you back to the light with an acoustic melody. Normally this wouldn’t work, but the contrasting sounds only seem to compliment one another, and the emotions conveyed are like that of a movie soundtrack, constantly changing to paint a picture of the story.
Australia has always had a strong death metal scene, but it’s bands such as G.O.D. that are expanding upon an already solid line up. For a debut album, nothing more can be expected from the group, and this just goes to show that these guys have the potential to break out of Australia and to infiltrate the international scene given a little refinement. |
Cost: $15