Band: Requiem
Title: Within Darkened Disorder
Label: Twilight Vertrieb
Distribution: Twilight / Bertus
Release date: May 6th 2011
Review: CD

One of my favourite Death Metal formations from Switzerland strikes back with their sixth studio recording, which got recorded and produced by Andy Classen at the famous Stage One Studio (Varg, Suidakra, Graveworm, Prostitute Disfigurement, Belphegor, Obszön Geschöpf etc.).
[discography: Nameless Grave-2001, Formed At Birth-2003, Government Denies Knowledge-2006, Premier Killing League-2007, and Infiltrate… Obliterate… Dominate-2009; review on the latter still available – see update April 25th 2010]
The trio (guitar player Phil Klauser, drummer Reto Crola and bassist / vocalist -former singer Michi Kuster left in 2010- Ralph Winzer Garcia) did a splendid job again – or what did you expect? Within Darkened Disorder (forty six minutes) isn’t that different from all former material, which means that this band still creates extremely brutal and intense Death Metal based on, especially, the North-American scene.

What’s new? Nothing in general; it’s just some of the compositions that are even more intense than before. Massiveness has been the case in the past, and this massive approach (performance and sound) gets maintained with Within Darkened Disorder.
What’s wrong? Nothing either. Some might get irritated by the repetitiveness of the rhythm section, or the lack of variation between the songs. Maybe the limited originality? Yet on the other hand one cannot ignore the incredible craftsmanship and skilled song writing – these guys did listen very carefully to their inspirational sources, and they do not just copy these influences.
What’s up? Everything, and nothing. You’ll be surprised in case you like this kind of audible brutality, you’ll be shocked if you think the USDM-scene sounds too heavy…
What’s the conclusion: if you can cope with some European-faced mixture of Divine Empire, Six Feet Under, Kataklysm, Massacre or some grind-less Dying Fetus, yet also Vader, Bolt Thrower, Amon Amarth or My Darkest Hate, then it’s easy to go for it ‘till the end… Within Darkened Disorder isn’t Requiem’s highlight probably (Government Denies Knowledge is, isn’t it?!), yet a masterpiece again…

83/100

Ivan Tibos.