Diabolicus

Many metal fans enjoy free albums, as do I. When this band called Diabolicus announced that there were free promos being given out, I had to jump on the bandwagon. Diabolicus is some interesting music, though it may not be for everyone.

Musically, Diabolicus is both strong and weak. The guitar riffs greet you with quickly played tremolo picking, as well as some full-on downward picking. I'd compare the style of Diabolicus to that of old Gorgoroth, primarily the Antichrist and Pentagram era. The tone varies somehow, which is something you don't get very often. The tone during the tremolo moments is strong, but it loses its essence during the transitions, which is weird and awkward sounding. Speaking of the transitions, some of them make me wince because they are non-fitting, or sound weird. The best example is in the opening track, 'Behold Your Master'. The other thing is that doesn't quite click with me is the overall writing. There are parts that sound overly rushed, or not much thought went into the writing process. The miniature guitar solo in 'Escape from Judecca' is a prime example. Moving away from the guitar, you have errors in the mixing process. The vocals are way too loud, the bass is muddled, but the drum machine is at the appropriate level. The one problem I have bands who make mistakes on mixing is that it shows that there is a level or either laziness, or lack of knowledge. I hope that isn't the case with Diabolicus because this project could have a bright future. Aside from all of that, you have the vocals. They are very distorted, most likely done on purpose. Though, they are not done as professionally as they could be. The sound reminds me of Crebain, but done through a very cheap computer microphone. The vocal skill is there, but it's hindered by whatever he uses to record them. Gladly, that's something that can easily be fixed.

Diabolicus is a very average, new age black metal band. I'm very open minded when I get music from such bands, and I give it my best shot to be honest in hopes they will accept my constructive criticism. Diabolicus could be a lot better once a few problems get sorted out, but until then I find the music subpar. Perhaps the next demo, or whatever release it may be from Diabolicus will change my mind. I guess you just have to remember, this is just a demo.

First off, let me say that this is a demo to be taken seriously. I was pleased at how, despite being a DIY release, professionalism shined through in all aspects, from packaging to production to songwriting.

Diabolicus, the brainchild of Chainsawgutsfuck, is a one-man black metal band that hails from Cork, Ireland. The sound of Diabolicus is akin to Gorgoroth meets Immortal, cold and at the same time gritty. The riffs are for the most part memorable and executed with a raw, but controlled, passion. By controlled, I mean that very little is played out of time on this release, so the listener can enjoy the quality music without fear of cringing. There are one or two occasions, however, where some bits and pieces sound a little too generic.

The music is generally very headbangable, most evident in “Behold Your Master” and “Escape from Judeca”. These two are the strongest tracks on the demo, but the two other pieces follow closely behind. I have a few minor gripes with the last two tracks which prevent them from reaching the levels of the first two. This is mainly to do with the use of the clean/acoustic guitar. “Atop the Frozen Peaks” could have done without the acoustic interlude, which needs some rethinking in terms of transition and writing. This section is the weakest point of the demo. The closing track, “Enslaved New World”, successfully combines slower drumming with an epic melody. The way this track ends, however, a fadeout while a solo is playing, resurfacing into some clean guitar, is slightly disappointing as I expected a little something more exciting to bring the demo to a close.

Besides being well played, the guitars are densely layered too, allowing the dark and bleak atmosphere of the music engulf the listener. The drums are well programmed. Obviously they sound a little mechanical in delivery, but Chainsawgutsfuck has done great in writing good and suitable drum parts that are not too obtrusive. Perhaps the snare could have been raised higher in the mix, but that’s really all I can say about the drums. The vocals are the strongest point of this demo; these are expertly handled. Just listen to the way Chainsawgutsfuck pronounces the word "Satan" on the opening track! If they were produced to sound a little more organic, the vocals would be pretty much perfect. Lastly, as I am a bass lover, I find that the bass lines could be a bit more defined. However, even though the bass is a little hard to pick out individually, the low-end as a whole never feels lacking on this release. This, of course, is another plus.

All in all, my overall impression is that this demo contains a lot of excellent ideas, and also has the benefit of being professional sounding without sounding over-clean and sterile. It was obviously well prepared and not a hasty effort. A full length seems extremely promising. Here's a horns up for the next release!!!

Diabolicus, as the previous reviewer has written, is a one man black metal band from Ireland. I’ve put off reviewing this demo for awhile. It’s just very hard to describe, and I have a love/hate relationship with it. You can get this demo for free from the forum actually, if you wish. I assure you, this material is quite good, but I have a few beefs with it.

If I were to use one word to describe this album, it would be brutal. There is never a derelict of riffs or breaks, besides the small intro and outro before and after the first and last tracks. The guitars have a somewhat raw feel to them, and the production isn’t very good, as sometimes it is hard to distinguish the individual instruments. However, I’ve heard worse, and considering that this is a black metal demo, I’m surprised most of the instruments are even audible. On another subject, the musicianship is great; all the instruments are well-played. The only complaint with that is that the vocals sound a bit too…computerish, for lack of a better word. Other than that small annoyance, this album is musically satisfying.

Despite that, the biggest problem in my eyes is the atmosphere, or apparent lack thereof. One of black metal’s defining aspects is the dark atmosphere it gives off (see Mayhem’s Freezing Moon or Burzum’s Dunkelheit for examples), and I just don’t feel it in this demo. It doesn’t feel like you’re walking through a dark forest or invoking the powers of Satan or whatever you fancy, it’s just brutal.

Overall, this demo has a long way to go in terms of a good atmosphere, but I think Diabolicus can be a great band that can make great music, as long as they fix that small tidbit. I would recommend it, and I’m looking forward to what they have to offer next.

Highlights- Enslaved New World