End of Life

It’s quite weird but for some reasons I ignored CENTINEX and for many years didn’t bother to listen to any of their recordings. I cannot say now what made me skip this band while discovering new essential death metal acts during my long metal journey, but the fact is that I didn’t get any of their music until 2003 or 04. Before I knew about CENTINEX existence, but from several interviews and adverts; not from the albums. It wasn't difficult to spot a band, which releases new album almost every year... But I just never tried to get any of them.

Luckily at some stage everyone will fix his mistakes - however big they are… And so did I, getting one week all these early CENTINEX releases and giving them a justice. I started with this demo of course and I can truly say now that not being interested in the music of these Swedes was a great mistake, as the first seconds of this debut demo “End of Life” gives me the same thrills as the recordings of other great Swedish bands. Just listen to the production CENTINEX has gotten here. Isn't this a pure classic SUNLIGHT Studio sound??!! Then what is?! And with the crushing riffs of the opening song I immediately get the impression of listening to another cult recording that can be compared to the likes of CREMATORY, MASTICATION, TIAMAT or GODDEFIED.

The riffing and the atmosphere of music from "End of Life" are very typical for Swedish death metal and to be honest this early CENTINEX recording could be considered as just one of many such releases that appeared in that time. But despite this lack of originality I still easily enjoy “End of Life”. From the ravaging, opening song, which is almost in the style of CARBONIZED demos and EP, through to the highlight of the demo, “Bells of Misery”, CENTINEX delivers many cool riffs and other goods. The music tends to be little chaotic sometimes, as it just likes to rage and uncontrollably storm with faster and faster parts, which may blow your head off. But they are often interrupted by sudden tempo changes, massive slowing downs, which only add more mess into overall style. And it is obvious they've been done by a beginning band, as many of the arrangements are still little primitive and basic. Anyway, the songs are rather good, maybe not the most exciting Swedish death metal tunes I’ve ever heard, but as for the demo tape, they do put an interest in the band and quality-wise they were much above the average.