Demo 1997

Yes, quite right, as this is a 1997 demo… only that it was released in 1996. I guess the actual and the hypothetical material have been split by mere few months so we won’t dwell on this paradox too much (could be a typo), but will look into the kitchen of these not very well-known artists, and will try to taste as many dishes from there as possible.

Well, the dishes in this particular camp are, sadly, not many at all; the first one I came across was the “Martírios” EP quite a few years back; brooding gothic-tinged thrash/post-thrash with numerous trippy psychedelic additives and twisted riff-patterns; a wondrous hypnotic effort which also featured a few curious purely jazzy etudes. Had no idea that the band had two demos released earlier until those fell into my hands literally a couple of days ago. The debut one was already a pretty psychotic assemblage of twisted Atheist-esque thrash/death and spastic free jazz forms the latter also reflected in a wholesome no-metal-related ode to all things jazz on this planet.

However, it’s this slab here that captured my heart and soul to the point that I haven’t been listening to anything else for the past few days. This is easily one of the most eventful 16-min of metal lore that I have bumped into, a most shining illustration of thinking outside-the-box, surreal progressive death/thrash at its absolute best, a perennially surprising puzzler that continues to befuddle even after multiple listens. The links to the preceding demo are certainly here as the layout is quite comparable, but man, do these ultimately stylish bassisms tumble down the walls of your house, and the ones of your neighbours in mere minutes. The bassman is a virtuoso second to none, and his contrived bordering-on-regurgitation burps lead the multi-tentacled, labyrinthine show which carves the first path with “A Path”, a standout neurotic jazzoid shaker and stirrer that puts together the best from Atheist again, but also Cynic and Sieges Even (think “Steps”, above all). All that jazz turns to steam on "Cold Steam", a superb stop-and-go atmospheric creeper which sheds its skin at mid-point just like that, without any warning the guys weaving vortex-like passages and abrupt speedy sweeps on a volatile shape-shifting background which also tolerates a couple of lyrical quiet etudes. The setting acquires more macabre dimensions with "Dichotomy", an atonal surreal entity with echoes of Demilich and some stupendous technical thrashing the bouncy, largely mid-tempo, march carved by Shrapnel-like lead sections and again this all-seeing eye... sorry, bass. So far the melody hasn’t played a vital role here but comes "Fresh Vanity" and the more melodic undercurrents readily engulf the traditionally intricate main frame, the eclectic rifforamas sounding even more alluring now with twisted illogical rhythms defying all attempts at linearity all the way to the totally arresting jazzy finale.

Wow… fallacy this isn’t unless someone has told you that you would hear a most standard classic thrash/death metal recording. Because this is anything but… in fact, this may as well be the most treasured minutes of progressive/technical death/thrash to ever come out of Portugal… and we’re talking some truly impressive acts from there like Monogono, Disaffected, Thormenthor, Shrine… nope, this obscure anomaly rises above and is there to stay. Is it an all-instrumental affair, though? Oops, no, it isn’t; there’s vocals but they’re of the very subdued unobtrusive guttural death metal variety, and are more of a humming background than anything else. I mean the man has long since realized that racing with his colleagues for the premier performance would be way more than futile, and he only contentedly hints at his presence.

It made perfect sense for the band to change direction on the EP; they wouldn’t have been able to beat this marvel here even if their life depended on it. But let’s not make any ungrounded predictions cause the guys are still active… yep, they are, and although passive restful attitude, as the one they have been exercising for quite some time, to the scene is also recommended, I think it’s high time someone gave the current progressive metal practitioners a lesson in visionary crooked, jazz-guided musicalities.