CoC : Christ Agony - Moonlight

Christ Agony - _Moonlight - Act III_
(Cacophonous Records, 1996)
by: Henry Akeley (7 out of 10)

Although this is the third release by this trio from Poland, it's their first CD for Cacophonous and the first time I've actually heard the band. _Moonlight_ showcases a trend-defying style of dark, mid-paced metal which occasionally dashes through speedier territory and incorporates some acoustic guitars, some clean vocals, and the odd synthesized bit. The excellent thirteen-minute (!) opener "Asmoondei" exemplifies the harsh, speedy black metal style, but incorporates some cool touches not usually associated with that genre, like mean double-bass drumming and -heavy-, thrash-inspired chugging guitars. (Such flourishes recur from time to time throughout the album.) For my money, the next track, "Devilish Sad", is the high point, beginning with a couple minutes of catchy mid-paced riffing that dissolves into a storm of feedback, only to explode forth as ripping black metal propelled by ferocious percussion. Still, the remainder of the album generally shies away from the blasting speed of these two songs. The slower approach works really well on the pounding, anthemic title track, but I find a few of the remaining songs to be a bit monotonous in that they don't involve much deviation from a single tempo. Nonetheless, these guys are undeniably heavy. And the production is really outstanding, which definitely sets this one apart.

(article published 17/7/1996)

ALBUMS
1/9/1998	P Schwarz	7	Christ Agony - Trilogy
16/10/1997	A Lewandowski	4	Christ Agony - Darkside