Kingdom of the Grave

Encased in a raw, gritty sound that instantly takes our minds back to the Slowly We Rots and Altars Of Madnesses of yore - Texan death metal outfit Sigil are here to pummel us. "Kingdom Of The Grave" is their first full-length release on the hilariously-named Horror Pain Gore Death Productions - and it succeeds on so many levels: primarily by taking the old school sound of classic DM acts like Massacre and Morbid angel - and making it relevant here in the 21st century. We're not looking for anything new here, just de-tuned riffs, brutally growled lyrics, and pounding drums.

The production quality is spot on; nothing is over-compressed or polished. It's a pleasingly raw tone that carries an air of authenticity, and I couldn't imagine it sounding any other way. Forgive me for always looking to the past, but if this was released in 1992, I would've been very happy indeed! The album artwork too, despite being eerily reminiscent of a certain Moss album, is highly appropriate and perfectly presented. It's a pleasure to note that Sigil understand the benefits of brevity - 33 minutes over the course of eight tracks is just the right amount of time for a death metal LP of this style; leaving their audience exhaustingly satisfied, but salivating for more at the same time.

Despite Jeremy Hassell's Tardy-esque mid-paced grooves, and occasional blastbeats - Kingdom Of The Grave really shines during the punk beats displayed on "Strange Aeons" and "Even The Gods Will Burn". This, combined with their more bluesy riffs makes them more akin to a highly-energized version of Jungle Rot. Andy Bonney also contributes to the vibrancy by occasionally dropping a tasty guitar solo. Guitar solos have never been particularly gripping to me, so it's refreshing to hear them used sparingly - such as at the end of "Bloodvisions" (which hits just after one of the best riffs on the album). Don't even get me started on the riffs, as we are spoiled for choice! Be they huge, hulking grooves, tremolo picked blasts, or down 'n' dirty chugging like the neck-achingly good "Death Won't Kill Me" - the riff writing is exemplary.

Song structures are well thought-out, with both verses and choruses instantly distinguishable - interspersed with crushingly heavy sections like the 2:30 mark in "Even The Gods Will Burn". Although the Texans thrive on their familiar vibe, the touches of progression that rear their heads on "Death Unreal" and "Summoning Hate" display potential for a more complex direction. Kudos to Alex Citrone for a totally consistent performance behind the mic - his growls are controlled aggression manifested (though his evil cackle in the title-track, and his blackened shrieking in "Lick The Blade" definitely brought a smile to my face!). For me, this upcoming USA quartet have actually released the death metal album of the year so far - easily beating out Obituary and Immolation. Kingdom Of The Grave isn't breaking boundaries - but everything about it sums up why we love old school death metal so much.

Originally written for www.metal-observer.com