Scorched-Earth - Mars
These Americans are obsessed with nuclear war and aliens, Scorched-Earth hail from Seattle. Described as Death Metal in one source of reading, their music is much more raw and aggressive a bit of a punk-aggressive death approach; there are no traditional death metal elements to this sound. This is the problem I have found with this release, the sound, sometimes it has your ears simply bleeding, especially during some raw early shoebox production of the guitar tone. There are some very long running times of songs, often too long, the remainder of the album bashes away without any real pause for reflection or care for intelligent song arrangements (boring single note passages). A lot of these tunes sound the same, are quite long and lose their interest after a couple of minutes. Fans who crave the raw energy of the early US releases will appreciate this, I have just found it too primitive and too dull, the production masks some of the talent and even trying on different stereo systems has not improved the listening experience for me. ‘Hell on Mars’ and ‘Spearhead from Space’ have the better recorded length of tolerance to the sound, this is one of those places I talked about earlier where the higher fretted notes simply make you cringe as they shriek for all they are worth and get backed up by the battering drums of space/hell similar to the teachings of the Necrovore demos. ‘No Blade of Grass’ is a much slower entity all together; this one needs more lyrics but is a clearer sound that only occasionally goes out of tune. There is promise, but after 3 previous albums, this is not a band still learning their craft or how to play their instruments properly, this is the sound you’re going to get like it or lump it! Having listened to demos of similar quality in the 1980’s it begs the question to me as to why bother in current times? I know it is supposed to be “kvlt”, but seriously, quality over quantity is a much better deal.
If you like raw, filthy, retro, demo quality death metal, and then this is for you, other than that, steer clear unless you have your studded wristbands to hand.
If you like raw, filthy, retro, demo quality death metal, and then this is for you, other than that, steer clear unless you have your studded wristbands to hand.
1. Warlords Of Mars
2. The Gods Themselves
3. Devils In Iron
4. No Blade Of Grass
5. Hell On Mars
6. Spearhead From Space
7. The Knights Of The Black Cross vs. The Reavers Of The Red Death
8. Out Of The Violent Planet
9. The Dead Of Winter
Novisible Scars
Reviewer: twansibon
May 5, 2010
May 5, 2010
Next review:
Lethal Saint - Lethal Saint
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