DAMNABLE - Inperdition (1996)

Self Analysis: Counting the Scattered Tissues

Archeologists do love different types of excavations, it is very good that object has a historical value. And digging in old layers of Polish underground I feel like an archeologist. Of course the tape “Inperdition” isn’t a cutting-edge find for the world today, but it is a good lesson in sonic violence for the young worshipers of brutal insane death metal. This stuff is the second demo of Damnable from Polish Przysucha (try to say it English-speakers!), unfortunately I didn’t hear their previous “Obsession Pain”, but I remember that many reviews in Polish underground zines said about great progress in songwriting and overall feelings of “Inperdition”. In addition the tape is professionally released, so let’s check old zines reviews out!

At the beginning I have to pay attention on very good and quite artistic front cover which is much better than the re-edition. Musically Poles prepared eight compositions and intro/outro. The style: death/grind. Listening to these notes in 1996 was something new definitely, because climatic doom/death was ruling the roost, there were many imitators of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema, on the other hand bands blindly duplicated Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation ideas. Fortunately one day I got this tape which became one of the most brutal and sick musical creations of those days. Maybe name of ‘Dying Fetus’ will be some small description of the style here (look at the band’s picture), however I do not want to write about cheap imitation, but of the same brutality and unimaginable intensity: after short intro Damnable attacks without mercy. The weapon: extremely hard and heavy first song “Underworld”. Of course, the rest of the tracks do not differ. Here we have completely inhuman vocals, from guttural vomits to shrieks, screams and deranged vociferation. The interesting thing is that only one person is responsible for it (Bayn, he is also a guitarist). Writing about the guitars, I have to mention about really good production. Many Polish young bands suffers from a bad realization in those days, here “Inperdition” is a full denial – everything is audible, the guitarists overpower with their crushing riffs, they create not easy and twisted tunes, even there is a place for solo lead (“Underworld”, “The Myth” where I find some decent yet modest portion of insane melody). The essence of the matter of such intense music is the good work of rhythm section and this element perfectly fits to the rest. The bass is fat, full-faced and rich, Rolly shows some excellent openings (“Circle of Time”, “Self Analysis”) with fine drum background. The big advantages of music are many changes of tempo where I can admire all the skills of musicians.

The entirety lasts 22 minutes, the second and the ninth track (“Underworld”, “Self Analysis” with completely broken tempos and very interesting vocals of Bayn – from the guttural vomit to piglet screak on one exhaust) are the best here, but one thing needs to be explained. The instrumental introduction is ok here, it lasts about thirty seconds and I dive into the abyss of “Underworld”. With outro I have a small problem and through all these metal years I was wondering if it was a good idea to put such an instrumental song on the end. It lasts two minutes, no guitars here, only piano with… beautiful melodic tunes (even good stuff for composer of classical music I guess), strange feeling indeed. This idea reminds me the ending of “The Spectral Sorrows” album of Edge of Sanity, but Poles perform another kind of devastation. Does it fit here? I have grave apprehension.

Listening to this stuff in the middle of the nineties was like an antipoison in those times infected by sweet melodies. After 15 years “Inperdition” is still the great stuff recommended for all fans of extremely brutal sounds, it survived without prejudice. It is a real waste the band is dead today, and they didn’t manage to sign a good deal with energetic label (Relapse, Unique Leader). Fortunately they left some stuff which is really worth to listen to, so check them out. Extremely good devastating sounds guaranteed.  

93/100

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(previously written for Encyclopaedia Metallum, on October, 2011, now modified a bit)