Ερείπια ψυχών

Four years have passed since their first release, “Σκιές Δαιμόνων”, and after two split albums, they return with their second full length release which is called “Ερείπια Ψυχών”. I refer to the Athenians Caedes Cruenta who exist in the Hellenic scene since 2003 and until today they have released two demos, two split and two full length albums. “Ερείπια Ψυχών” was released in December of 2014 and it contains one into and seven compositions of overall duration a little less than fifty minutes. Caedes Cruenta already since their previous releases, they had caught my attention with the classic Hellenic Black Metal that they were playing. In their new album too, they present us that characteristic, Hellenic Black Metal of the early ‘90ies.

The first contact with the album is made with the impressive cover which achieves to catch the listeners attention. Black and white, handmade designed, with old school aesthetics, it presents a big Demonic procession. Musically, the band is loyal and devoted to the Hellenic sound of the early ’90ies. The riffs are melodic, dark and atmospheric, mainly of medium speed with many fast passages. The melodies, the images and generally the atmosphere that the album creates, delivers you back in time into that particular era. I don’t think that the similarity with other bands is annoying, far from it. The tracks are quite long (over six minutes) but their structure is very well organized so that the ideas are presented without tiring the listener and maintaining his interest to a high level.

The band has also done a very nice work for their sound. The production has achieved to create the aesthetics and the colour of the sound of Black Metal of the ’90ies using though the modern means too so that the sound to be absolutely clean. The mixture is very good as all the instruments can be clearly heard. The guitars have that characteristic dark sound that fits perfectly to the intense and thick atmosphere that they create, while they are played with accuracy and much passion. The bass is distinctive and it fills the compositions well. The keyboards although someone could say that they are distinctive too, they are used into a few parts, but in a way that makes them very intense and important for the composition. The drums have interesting lines but they don’t take the leading part in any part. They are played with passion and accuracy. The vocals are Black Metal screams, intense and expressing, but in some parts somehow excessive. The lyrics are written in English except from one track which is written in Greek. They are dark and blasphemous while they put out a clear, maybe primitive feeling from the past.

Some may ask what this album can offer that the well-known bands of Greece haven’t already offered. It hasn’t anything new or different to offer. But this has no importance. The purpose of the album and the band is to honour the scene and the sound that marked them. They create an album which is taking the best elements of that era and it filters them into the love of the band for the scene, its creativity and its talent and it presents them into their best shape. All of the fans of the old, Hellenic sound, you will be thrilled with this album. The rest of you listen to it, it deserves your attention.