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Demoncy > Joined in Darkness > Reviews > WinterBliss
Demoncy - Joined in Darkness

Simply Put, It's Evil Sounding - 90%

WinterBliss, July 18th, 2008

As the title suggests, this is one evil album. Now, I'm not the type who sits around in his basement listening to black metal because I believe it's truly evil and that it elevates me above the rest of the flock; I simply listen out of enjoyment. I could care less about who's the most kvlt, or who's the most evil, that aesthetic doesn't really appeal to me. The only time I've really been swayed by an "evil" aesthetic is with Demoncy's second full-length; Joined in Darkness.


This album took a long time to fully sink in. Upon my first two or three listens I labeled this as boring, repetitive tripe. Upon further listens I have wholeheartedly upped this album to the most sinister music I've ever heard. Worshiping Satan or one of the other tired cliches in black metal ain't too interesting, and ain't too evil. But generating a mood that's comparable only to the fear of the unknown IS evil. It's not the lyrics or the actions behind the music, but rather the mood generated by the music itself. Through simple, but effective means, Demoncy were able to create an album chock full of a sinister atmosphere.


How might this atmosphere stand out from the rest you say? Well, the best description is hearing it for yourself, but when put into words it might come out like this. Thanks to the cavernous production, monotonous and down tuned guitars, hypnotic drums and raspy whispers, Demoncy's brand of black metal is able to create a truly harrowing and chilling environment. A good image for this music would be standing in the midst of a forest, pitch black with a icy autumn breeze. The drums and guitars provide as the spooky ambiance of this said environment while the vocals are the subtle whispers in the back of your head that keep you peering into the darkness expecting some lurking creature. Enough of my stupid descriptions, you get the point.


Songs like Winter Bliss and Joined in Darkness are perfect examples of what this album has to offer. As you can see by my name, Winter Bliss happens to be a favorite of mine. Beyond those two standout tracks, the whole album carries this particular sound. As many reviewers have mentioned, it's easy to get lost in this album, seeing as many of the songs sound the same, but that's also one of the album's strong points. The albums is full of breaks within each song that give your heart some beats to slow down, only to throw you back into the chilling mid paced blastbeats.


One of the most crucial, and important aspects towards this album are the vocals. I cannot stress enough that the manner in which these vocals are delivered, and the way they sound create a very chilling atmosphere. Rather than screamed, or wailed like most black metal, these vocals come off more as a dry, raspy whisper. I have never heard vocals like this. They have character and resonance, something that many vocalists seem to lack in the black metal genre.


Overall, this is an excellent album, but an acquired taste. You're missing out if you pass this off as repeative crap; give it time.