| CD REVIEW Decadence |
 |
|
Band: Decadence The history of this Swedish band starts in 2003. The year after, a first demo (Land Of Despair) was released and caused an enormous shock reaction in the band’s home country. The successor, The Creature Decadence, made the name Decadence also ‘popular’ in the rest of the world (an example; the band has got fan clubs in at least six countries) and this first official full length studio album, which lasts for thirty six minutes, has been created to strengthen the band’s position. Decadence brings a form of melodic Thrash Metal with elements from Death Metal, and when I hear about a ‘Swedish Death / Thrash formation’ I usually start shivering because I do expect that infantile heard-it-all-before feeling, which is sort of standard in the Swedish scene nowadays. However, in the case of Decadence this isn’t the absolute truth, on the contrary! All right, this isn’t the most renewing band either, but on the other hand, Decadence does not just sound like a cheap copycat of, let’s say, The Haunted, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, or Soilwork, like so many (too many) bands do. The somewhat old school-oriented tracks combine a groovy rhythm with melody, and all this comes with several tempo-changes and fine hooks. The sound isn’t too well-polished, which is a positive element, but unfortunately the mix may not be that well-structured. And what concerns the vocals, well, I’m sure that’s a ‘love-it-or-hate-it’-history. Metallic Kitty Saric often gets compared to Angela Grossow (Arch Enemy) or Sabina Classen (Holy Moses) and that isn’t such a bad comparison at all. Her screams and grunts are very powerful, yet I can understand why some people get enervated after listening too long to her throat eruptions. Anyway, The Third Stage Of Decay stands for nice and, believe it or not, somewhat refreshing Thrash / Death Metal from Sweden. 80/100 Ivan Tibos. |