From Underground To The Black Mass...

Two bands from the underground scene of Colombia are showing their new material in a split release. Luciferian, a quite old band that exists since 1996, consist of five members and they have released two demos, one single and two full length albums, they contribute to “From Underground To The Black Mass…” with six track. The rest four tracks belong to Storm of Darkness, a newer band which consists of two members and they were formed in 2008, while until today they have released five demos, one more split and a full length album. Musically the two bands have not the same kind of sound, but without their differences be so intense so that they cannot coexist in the same album. The straightforward nature of the compositions and the fast tempo make the transition from one band to the other smooth.

From one hand Storm of Darkness play a fast, straightforward Black Metal with European orientation and nice passages. The riffs are typical Scandinavian, fast, clean and frozen. The guitars deliver the compositions with passion and accuracy while the bass fills the sound and give a heavier nature to the compositions. The drums are one of those parts of the album that stand out. Apart from the very good playing, their lines are so good that in many parts draw the listener’s attention more than the riffs. The vocals are harsh, heavy Black Metal vocals which are adjusted appropriately depending on the part and the feeling. The production is a little dirty and the produced sound fits to the style of the compositions. The mix is also very good, creating a very massive sound.

Now concerning the tracks of Luciferian, they gave me the impression that they aren’t new material but a collection of older unreleased recordings, because both the style of the compositions is different from track to track and the production and mix differ. Generally we’ll find elements from different genres, as for example the first track is a typical latin-american track, fast, brutal, monotonous. In the second, the riffs are fast, with high toned sound that remind solos and with Thrash, Slayer-like, elements and disharmonic passages. In the following tracks the orientation becomes more European with heavy epic elements, mid tempo passages and the use of keyboards. All instruments are well played but nothing special. The vocals generally are harsh, in some tracks more raw than others, typical Black Metal vocals. The production and the mix differ from track to track but in general they fit to the style of each period.

Generally “From Underground To The Black Mass…” doesn’t have anything unique to show, just straightforward, authentic Black Metal. I think I will keep in mind the very good Storm of Darkness . If you want to get to know the Colombian Black Metal, this split isn’t a good choice. The devoted fans of the sound I described will be satisfied by the album. The rest of you prefer something else and check out Storm of Darkness.