Horned God "Absit" CD
[Tumba]
This is a brief full-length from this Brazilian death metal band. Of course they have to start things out with an "evil" synth introduction, but after that it's onto the raging speeds and brutal death metal. Sadly the production is pretty horrible, because otherwise this would be a damn solid effort of the type of death metal many have come to expect from the country. There's a ton of speed, blazing solos, guttural vocals, and a generally unrelenting approach all around. Of course bands like Krisiun and their ilk come to mind, and at times this does sound like a blatant copy of that whole style, but like a few other Brazilian bands Horned God throws in a few more tempo changes and some traditional death metal riffing that helps break up the monotony a little bit. On rare occasion they'll employ scathing screams or mess with some slightly dissonant riffing that leans towards black metal, but for the most part it's an all out attack that maintains an almost constant delivery. Now, the recording... it's a shame. The drums are really flimsy and triggered, I can't make out an ounce of bass, the guitar tone is a little sloppy and distant, etc. I think the vocals sound alright, and portions of the drums are tolerable, but the mix is too messy and that lack of clarity makes the playing feel less than precise as a result. Admittedly there are some flaws with the performances, but nothing is overtly problematic. I'd like to hear these guys work with clearer, warmer tones that would give the instruments room to be heard, because it can really be an inconsistent blur as it stands. Some tracks have more of a bass presence and dryer guitars, but that makes little difference. The layout on this thing is absolutely horrendous. The band members look rather young, so I can almost let the visual immaturity slide, but not quite. The illustrations of colorful demons are totally cheesy, as are the manipulated photos of guys with fangs and horns, and "burning" pentagrams on the ground underneath the band members. The color scheme, or lack thereof, is awful... I don't know, in all honesty I had been putting off listening to this CD for awhile now because it looked so bad that I was certain it was going to suck. The lyrics tend to be about anti-christian ideas and such, but I think the band might have been better suited to write in Portuguese, as their English doesn't seem to communicate their message effectively enough: "The bastard is rotten... His surroundings are bad. He became an illusion, the hope of each of his followers. The churches are temples of purification, where its followers suffer an irreversible brainwash..." I really like Brazilian death metal a lot, and this would be a fine record if the presentation was handled more professionally that includes the recording and the layout). It wouldn't be one of my favorites, but it would be worth some attention. Unfortunately it ends up being nothing more than a forgettable album from a band that could have more to offer. (4/10)
Running time - 27:57, Tracks: 8
[Notable tracks: Bloodshed Knowledge]
Tumba Records - http://www.tumbarecords.com.br

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