CoC : Isolated - Demonss Conclave : Review

Isolated - _Demonss Conclave_
by: Jackie Smit (3 out of 5)

While they remain a relatively unknown commodity outside of their native Poland, Isolated have been hammering it out in their local scene since 1994, with little in the way of recognition from labels. _Demonss Conclave_ is the follow-up to their self-financed _Descent on the Cross_ effort that caused a few minor rumbles in the underground in 2002, and for the most part it rarely transcends death metal formulae of years past. However it's when "Armageddon Fire" reaches 2:30 and one of the most eerie and morbidly engrossing melodic breakdowns in recent memory rips through the otherwise typical riffing, that Isolated's potential shines through. The four tracks on this disc are let down by a very tinny production -- Halle's vocals in particular sounding as though they were recorded while his head was stuck in a tumble dryer -- but the band are fast, furious and sincere enough that with a little more polish there could well be a future for this band beyond the doldrums of the demo scene.

Contact: http://www.isolated.pl

(article published 15/3/2006)