CoC : Reverend Kriss Hades - The Wind of Orion : Review

Reverend Kriss Hades - _The Wind of Orion_
(Decius Productions, 2002)
by: Quentin Kalis (6 out of 10)

The honourable Reverend from Down Under (wonder if he really is a reverend -- in LaVey's Church of Satan perhaps?) has previously been involved with the likes of Nazxul and Sadistik Exekution. The first -- and best -- song is a simplistic yet highly effective black metal track with unusual vocals, which almost sounds as if the vocalist is choking. The subtle synths which overlay the guitar succeed in creating a menacing atmosphere, but I'm not quite sure what to make of the rest of the album. The next two songs are reworkings of Sadistik Exekution songs off the _FUKK_ album: "Black Mass Murder" (Satanic version), which retains its origins as a death metal song, while "Final Execution" (Ouija version) is a far more drastic reworking, drawn out into an overlong ten minute industrial. The final three tracks are taken from the Reverend's obscure 1990 recording, _Meditation of the Midnight Candle Practice_. These three tracks largely consist of the Reverend playing his guitar over some industrial electronic effects. While I commend him for his originality, originality in itself is not always sufficient to ensure an enjoyable album, and it's a sad testament to this release that the least adventurous song is also by far the best. The industrial effects soon become monotonous, while the Reverend's self-indulgent guitar playing gets somewhat tiring after an incredibly short period of time. Considering that the Reverend is a talented guitarist, he has substantial experience performing in other bands and is not averse to experimentation, suggests that his next solo release will find him settling on a style and producing a definitive album.

Contact: iconoclast101@optushome.com.au

(article published 3/7/2002)