CoC : Precipice - Prophet of Doom : Review

Precipice - _Prophet of Doom_
(Crook'd Records, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)

Unlike the other shit that Crook'd Records put out that I reviewed this issue of Chronicles of Chaos (i.e. Gardly-Loo!), thrash / death metal act Precipice is better by all accounts, but definitely not top of the genre. More like stuck in the middle-half of the metal world, obviously lacking something that is keeping them back from garnering mass attention. With a nicely produced demo from Morrisound Studios, this eight-song offering has its moments, especially on the abrasively charged "Lords of Darkness" and the dark flow of the title track. Vocalist RJ Hagenew is adequate, but he needs to do away with the rather weak clean vocals / talking segues and just keep it fast and brutal. As for the music, as mentioned before, it lacks some kind of character. With multiple listens, it seems as though the band has taken in all of their influences and just worked them into their material, rather than trying to have some kind of attempt to create music inspired by themselves. In other words, their influences are more apparent than their own original sounds/ideas. Some re-working of their material, adding in some darker textures and a faster pace, might make Precipice a contender one day.

(article published 14/1/2002)

ALBUMS
5/3/2000	A Bromley	7	Precipice - The Foundation / Black Sun Rising