Karst "Vision of Insane Hope" CD
[Hater of God]
More pummeling material from this ex-Damad unit that will appeal to fans of said band. Expect a wide array of Victoria's vocals, from those unbelievable growls to cackled midrange sneers, higher shrieks, eerie singing, etc. Musically it's a mixed bag as well, what with a few quirkier moments this time around, and not as much consistent sludge. There's definitely still an element of that sludgy sort of plodding rhythm sensibility, but a lot of the riffing here is a bit faster and more discordant, using more effects on some of the guitar parts. The drumming is really high energy, never too flashy, but definitely throwing in lots of fills and changes. Similarly, the vocals are often layered and quickly shifting between modes of delivery, so the songs definitely feel a bit busier and more frantic, especially since many of them run through so many shifts in less than three minutes. "Hear Not" uses some blatantly melodic little dissonant riffs that immediately stand out from everything else on the disc; while the longer and more dynamic "Blind Walk" opens with a bass run before the caustic chords and barked vocal patterns arrive with a few more spacious riffs. I think it's still some of the heavier tracks that are the strongest, though. Take for instance the absolutely pummeling, Sabbath-esque intro to "Nothing News", which then explodes into some grinding riffing that's a bit more liner than most of the other high speed rhythms herein. The slower and more discordant/sinister title track ends the disc on a damn strong note as well, with a noisy sort of intro that opens up into some midpaced rhythms accompanied by really intense vocal tradeoffs and dense performances. Aside from minor issues with the mix I have no complaints regarding the recording. Everything is loud and clear. The guitars are thick and well textured, you can make out enough of the pounding basslines, the drums sound fucking awesome, etc. When it comes to the mix, I might prefer to hear slightly more bass and slightly fewer vocals, because sometimes all that vocal layering can feel cluttered, and a few vocal styles lean farther out in front, but again, these are minor issues. The layout has an orange color scheme that resembles that of the band's last EP, with similar artwork as well as the lyrics. I think these are the band's finest lyrics to date as well, carrying serious messages across the board without being blunt. It's artistic but still very clear. "The concept of god, as mutual exclusion, serving to keep us in unending conflict, As is not religion, a potent elixir, a salve to the blister, a final submission..." Good stuff. I liked their last EP better, perhaps because its shorter running time kept it 100% focused and forceful, but this isn't a disappointment at all. (7/10)
Running time - 28:26, Tracks: 10
[Notable tracks: Hear Not, Nothing News, Vision of Insane Hope]
Hater of God - http://www.haterofgod.com

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