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Christ Beheaded > Open the Gates of Hell > Reviews
Christ Beheaded - Open the Gates of Hell

Christ Beheaded - Open the gates of hell - 60%

Phuling, December 23rd, 2010

US black metal rarely impress me, I’m horribly out of touch with their scene and the bands I regularly listen to can easily be counted on one hand. I was previously unfamiliar with Christ Beheaded, and I’m not sure I’ve heard of Summon the Destroyer, Demiricous or Gates of Slumber; all bands these guys are affiliated with. I suppose it means something to someone, but not to me. What happens with Open the gates of hell is that it unfortunately meets most of my judgmental expectations of a US black metal release.

The opening track is a rather boring one, neither riffing, drumming nor vocals do anything to thrill me. It’s just another in the line of “I’ve heard all of this before” songs. The title track on the other hand has a little more to offer since it focuses very well on a more old school approach, creating a harsh and fierce atmosphere, with a great drum tempo and some wicked guitar leads lurking in the background. It becomes even more brutal when Decomposed takes over and the ultra-blasting begins, as we here get served a ferociously adrenaline-ridden tempo, chilling riffing and with a gargling scream fitting the agenda perfectly. But two great tracks does not a great EP make.

Despite the fact that Sanguine moon has its bright moments, and Christ Beheaded offers the occasional bulldozer of a song, it’s nothing I feel the need to listen to again. Despite the fact that they constantly changes tempo and take on a few different approaches to black metal, there’s still some hooks missing. The power of the record isn’t helped by a rather dry and mundane production either. As I said before; it’s just another American black metal release.

Originally written for http://www.mylastchapter.net