CoC : Centinex - Diabolical Desolation : Review

Centinex - _Diabolical Desolation_
(Candlelight, 2002)
by: Alvin Wee (5.5 out of 10)

These Swedish deathsters' latest fling marks their move away from Repulse Records and a sojourn into more commercial worlds of metal. The band show a marked penchant for mainstream black metal this time round, and while not entirely denying their death metal roots, they come off as assuredly mellower creatures than before. The introduction of Norwegian-style keyboard soarings slams home the fact that Centinex have been listening to way too much Dimmu Borgir lately. In fact, synth-dominated tracks like "Forthcoming Terror" and "On Violent Soil" fail to deliver the aggression their titles promise, and instead fit right into a scene dominated by similarly softcore pseudo-black/death metal acts. The band opt to hide their claws on this largely mid-paced release, with much of the material coming across as forgettable and derivative: pleasant elevator metal, nothing more, nothing less. The guitar work here reflects the melding of black and death styles so popular in the mainstream these days, and is a far cry from the dark and atmospheric conjurations on their Dissection-tinged debut. The boys' experience is evident in the polished structures and stellar musicianship, and the uninspired nature of the material is perhaps the critical thing that drags this entire album down. Bland Gothenburg slush contributing to the downfall of the scene, and a completely unnecessary album that will nonetheless probably get killer reviews in the major press.

(article published 1/9/2002)

ALBUMS
31/5/2005	J Smit	7.5	Centinex - World
12/10/1999	P Schwarz	4	Centinex - Bloodhunt
19/11/1998	P Schwarz	7	Centinex - Reborn Through Flames
17/11/1997	P Schwarz	7	Centinex - Reflections