CoC : Old Man's Child - Born of the Flickering : Review

Old Man's Child - _Born of the Flickering_
(Hot Records, 1996)
by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10)

This is very high quality black metal. I think "bleak" and "grim" are appropriate adjectives, but it's not terribly "cold" sounding. There are lots of comparisons to be made to Dark Tranquillity, both because of the folk-death touches, and because of the Yngwie-esque parts, but this is primarily black metal. They make significant and good use of acoustic guitars, fully integrating them into their sound, and not relying simply on arpeggiated parts like so many other bands do. This makes for an original and refreshing sound. However, the almost Spanish-sounding instrumental in the middle of the album seems really out of place. Some of the vocals are low death grunt/growls, but the majority are of the screaming black metal variety. Occasionally, clean vocals are used, but they're a little flat, reminding me of Mourning Sign's clean vocals. The playing is precise and the production is good, so this is well worth searching out, even if it isn't completely satisfying.

(article published 11/10/1996)

CHATS
2/8/2003	A McKay	Old Man's Child: Striking Out Down the Defiant Path

ALBUMS
4/10/2005	A McKay	6	Old Man's Child - Vermin
25/5/2000	P Schwarz	7.5	Old Man's Child - Revelation 666: The Curse of Damnation
8/7/1998	P Schwarz	7	Old Man's Child - Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion
1/1/1998	P Schwarz	6	Old Man's Child - The Pagan Prosperity

GIGS
1/10/1998	M Noll	Einherjer / Old Man's Child / Gorgoroth / Cradle of Filth	Doom Descends Upon Deutschland