Ex Infernus

Teratism

Root-Of-All-Evil Records, 2002

http://teratism.bandcamp.com

REVIEW BY: Paul Hanson

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 06/03/2002

There are four songs on this EP, a "soundtrack of utter damnation upon the souls brave enough to venture into the blackest regions of the abyss."

I'm not sure about all that, but I will say that this band needs to get a clue. I don't care how much money you have in your bank account, you just don't put out material that sounds like this. I mean, I'm all for demos and reviewing demos as such, but come on. These guys should have waited on a few more tables or cut back on the number of "The Satanic Verses" books they're buying and put some of that cash into hiring a producer/recording engineer or making friends with a budding professional in that arena. This sounds like garbage.

Not that a remixed version of this release would be awesome. Chances are, it'd still suck.

Track 1 "Resurrection Denied" is a catastrophic blitz of guitars and drums in a blur with a vocalist growling. I was about to turn this off. In an effort to proclaim it "that much more sinister than the next Black Metal band, the band includes a sound clip that says, "God is Dead! Satan Lives!". I have no idea if that is a lyrical redundancy or if that clip is a new idea.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

I arrive at track 2. "Hate" is not the band's "Stairway To Heaven" (meaning it's no masterpiece), but I can begin to pick up traces of musicianship. Still can't understand a word the vocalist is saying, but the song doesn't try and imitate the first track with a blurrying display of speed. Instead, the drummer establishes a groove with a couple of tasty double bass licks (though the mix is so terrible, it may be the bass mimicking a floor tom/bass drum lick - - it's really hard to say) and decent snare/hi-hat interaction. The vocalist is still screaming so I have no idea if he accomplished his mission in this barely over 4 minute track called "Hate."

There is a decidedly evident dip in mixing quality for track 3, "Children of Scorn." The instruments all blend into one another and like many a person that listened to And Justice for All have asked, "Is there a bassist in the mix?" Poor musician - - no one can hear their parts.

"Scorn" lasts for 6:24 and is easily the 2nd worst track so far. We've got "Hate" leading the way as being barely above tolerable, "Resurrection Denied" and :"Children of Scorn" in a tie. Going into track 4 (the final one), I'm hoping for a decent track to even the crap with the barely tolerable.

I see the title of track 4 and grimace. "Resurrection Denied (Live)" and it's the first track recorded live. Maybe Teratism should record all their releases like this because you can actually hear the instruments. The drums are mixed too loud (what? Is that possible?!?) and there is more evidence that the vocalist is a practicioner of the Satanic arts. What's interesting about the release is that they cropped out the crowd booing the band off the stage at the end of the track.

Do you have any doubt how I feel about this band? This is nothing against the band as Satanists, though I strongly disagree in theory with what they believe. This has to do, rather with releasing material that does nothing for the genre except prevent me from listening to a good death band.

Rating: F

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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© 2002 Paul Hanson and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Root-Of-All-Evil Records, and is used for informational purposes only.