CoC : Internecine - The Book of Lambs : Review

Internecine - _The Book of Lambs_
(Hammerheart, 2002)
by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10)

This album is the brainchild of Hate Eternal's Jared Anderson, with some help from bandmates Derek Roddy (drums on two tracks) and Erik Rutan (guest solos), and Nile's current drummer Tony Laureno. With a line-up of this caliber, you should expect a fast, brutal death metal album played with exceptional aplomb, and this album certainly doesn't disappoint in that department. Unfortunately, the extent of the album's ferocity precludes its inclusion of much in the way of dynamics, leading to an album that -- once you get past the initial adrenaline rush -- is simply boring. Aside from the lack of dynamics, there's not much wrong with this album. The production (handled by Rutan) is excellent. The guitar riffs are generally average or above, and the few guitar solos are tasteful and appropriate. The playing is exceptional: the drumming is extremely fast and the band are very tight. The guitar and bass work are both done by Jared, and he shows himself to be a capable guitar player as well as a bassist. The vocals are a mix of a deep growl and a higher shout/growl, but neither style detracts from or adds to the enjoyment of the album. Ultimately, the music on this album is technically very good; taken in small doses, it's even enjoyable. But when you put it all together, it gets repetitive and there's very little that's memorable or interesting enough to want to listen to again. Those looking for the next level of brutality should check this out, as I find it hard to believe that it will be easy to find an album that's this brutal and this well-performed. Those looking for something original or memorable should probably look elsewhere.

Contact: http://www.hammerheart.com

(article published 5/4/2003)