Band: Dead Eyed Sleeper
Title: Through Forests Of Nonentities
Label: Supreme Chaos Records
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx
Release date: 15/05/2009
Review: CD

The German band Dead Eyed Sleeper originally started as Legacy. After two old school-oriented Death Metal releases, the band seemed to fade away slowly.
A few years ago, Legacy sort of re-formed with a new name, Dead Eyed Sleeper, and a new line-up: Cornelius Althammer (d; engineering; involved with Ahab), Sam Anetzberger (v; also in Fragments Of Unbecoming), Peter Eifflaender (g), Stephan Wandernoth (g; known from Ahab) and Thomas Amann (b). Soon Dead Eyed Sleeper recorded the debut album, In Memory Of Mankind (2007, Musikaz Records), which got great responses within the (European) underground scene. The album differed a lot from the Legacy-era by changing into a more experimental and progressive direction.
I do like ‘straight’ Death Metal, old school or uncomplicated, but a few times I need to change my opinion. In this case I need to do so. Why? Because that album was worth being hailed, and now Dead Eyed Sleeper go even further than on their debut album.
In Summer last year, the band started working on the second full length with renowned producer Christoph Brandes (Ingrimm, Deadborn, Fragments Of Unbecoming, Unlight, Necrophagist a.o.) (also mix and mastering; Iguana Studio), Through Forests Of Nonentities, which lasts for forty two minutes.
The neo-progressive tracks on Through Forests Of Nonentities are ingeniously composed. The band easily combines a groovy sound with progressive hooks, many breaks and tempo-changes, and the subtle addition of cello (by Cornelius) and violin (performed by Salome Althammer) (on the outro, Outstripping The Meander, or Metamorphine). The 180° contrast between massive and hammering Death Metal parts, slow, somewhat old stylish passages, avant-garde pieces and technical structures sounds as the divine revelation of the depressing missing link between ‘Progressive (Death) Metal’ and ‘acceptable’. And that’s a compliment. And what’s more: the overwhelming yet rough production gives something extra, putting this album on the highest level of the technical Prog-Death-scene.

90/100

Ivan Tibos.