CoC : Process of Guilt - Demising Grace : Review

Process of Guilt - _Demising Grace_
by: Pedro Azevedo (4.5 out of 5)

With two new members in their line-up, including a human drummer that replaces the rhythm machine used in their previous effort, Process of Guilt are back with _Demising Grace_, their second demo. Perhaps partly as a consequence of these line-up changes, their sound has evolved into something quite different from their rather good debut demo _Portraits of Regret_. Whereas back then they had some vague resemblance to Void of Silence and mid-era Katatonia in some points, they now remind me instead of bands like Saturnus (spoken vocals and some of the doom melodies) and Morgion (gravelly death growls and harsh guitar sound). Process of Guilt add their very own slant and some other interesting touches to this combination however, in the shape of nicely integrated sound samples and the mixing of crushing riffs with more tranquil and atmospheric passages. _Demising Grace_ neither sounds like Process of Guilt are trying to reinvent the doom metal genre nor like they are simply copying someone else; they are obviously influenced by other bands, but the result is nevertheless still something they can call their own. They would do well to keep pursuing an increasing uniqueness in their sound, of course, but they are no rip-offs at this stage. Although rooted in doom metal, the general pace isn't quite as desperately slow as some might expect, which could help them break out of the strictly doom metal niche and appeal to those more interested in atmospheric death metal or just good, emotional metal in general. Playing, production and songwriting values are all very high for a demo; indeed this half-hour disc is up there with most of the commercially distributed doom metal in the market today. Here's hoping that Process of Guilt will find a label that will support them in the future.

Contact: http://www.processofguilt.com

(article published 24/5/2005)

ALBUMS
12/12/2006	P Azevedo	8.5	Process of Guilt - Renounce

DEMOS
3/31/2003	P Azevedo	4	Process of Guilt - Portraits of Regret

GIGS
4/22/2007	P Azevedo	Katatonia / Process of Guilt	Conquering the Distance