Evil Transition: Awakening of the Damned Ones
The main reason I purchased this album
was Ravenous Death's previous „Ominous Deathcult” Ep, really
noteworthy piece of rotting death metal. I was just curious if this
debut shot wasn't an one-night stand as all the members are involved
in other different bands or projects. Luckily, the Mexicans went
malapertly ahead and recorded those chapters, this time under the
banner of Memento Mori bigger label, so the better production isn't
just a sheer coincidence, I guess. Then, the next change appeared in
the line-up as Miguel Angel left the band for serious healthy reasons
(however he wrote music for three tracks) and Victor Mercado entered
as a new leading vocalist. So, the scene has been infected in January
this year, with ten completely new songs in the vein of... Yes,
that's right, in the vein of pure death metal. And you know what?
With the very first seconds of opening „Prelude to Evilness” I
can see the goosebumps forming on my skin: this is slow introduction,
mysterious and dark, with fantastic main riffing and ominous noises
in the background. Having no time for a rest, „Doomed to Exist”
strikes with full force and there is no any moment of surprise...
Well, the first meeting with the album
was a little bit misdefining. I mean, not about the genre of course,
but I got the impression that Esteban and his drums ordnance ruled
the space. Next listens assured me it wasn't an incessant drum blast.
What's more, the musicians avoided the boredom and monotony bringing
just good and diversified portions of music within aforementioned
style where inventing a wheel once again is absolutely redundant. My
first connotations headed for two Vader's albums „The Ultimate
Incantation” and „De Profundis” if the guitar and drum work is
concerned and for old Demigod if I would like to underline some
slower parts and its eerie melodies. Such a mixture supported by
Mexican hot passionate blood and metal dedication results just a good
old-school slab.
Yes, to mutilate the senses is the main
purpose. And if the speed is the key in a way, there are a lot of
memorable slowdowns. I still remember such tunes from „Rotten Flesh
Murderer” and here I can easily indicate another ones in „Evil
Dementia” (with pure Finnish scene worship), „Awakening of the
Damned” starting at 1:23 which is quintessence of the style or the
beginning of „The Sinister Being” with fantastic melody at 2:23.
In turn, „Massacre Cult”, definitely written in the vein of
Remains (but it's not a surprise as it was composed by Miguel
himself) is an interesting collage of catchy leads and enraged
destructive paces. I know I wrote about style purity, yet two more
tracks should be mentioned right now. They are a bit different,
„Initiation Ritual” has distinct yet short sounds familiar to
melodic black metal (Dissection, Sacramentum), the closing track
„Soul Consumed by the Occult” (mere fact, the last song from
their Ep has word 'occult' in the title as well...) distinguishes
itself from the rest by killing guitar parts with strong Spanish
Ataraxy touch, being an exquisite closing song for the end.
This album is nothing but the evidence.
The evidence that one may create gripping stuff using once invented
and recorded things. Old-school is the spinal column throughout, the
Mexicans were able to add the rest, boldly, precisely and at last
successfully. All the pieces of the puzzle fit together, from scary
and no hope giving front cover to rather not typical for such a genre
Victor's gutturals, from ominous atmosphere to each single hard
hitting ravenous riff. The sounds skelter along ruining the serenity
without any mercy revealing something new to adore with every next
meeting. And I tell you, as compared to the previous Ep, the
transition has been done. Now, the band is a beast, ready to inscribe
another death metal chapters. I wait.
88/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written in April, 2019)
