CoC : Revenge - Triumph, Genocide, Antichrist : Review

Revenge - _Triumph, Genocide, Antichrist_
(Osmose Productions, 2003)
by: Matthias Noll (9 out of 10)

Ferocious, rabid, insane -- words that have lost much of their impact due to their overuse in reviews, bios, ads and interviews. Bearing that in mind, I'm really having trouble trying to find the appropriate words to describe this release. But it seems I have no other choice than dig out the well-trusted "Guide to Metal Adjectives" and claim that this is indeed the most ferocious, rabid and insane record I've ever heard. Revenge comes from the same bottomless pits that have given birth to acts like Beherit, Blasphemy and Bestial Warlust. This release is part of the school of black grind or war metal, which fuses grindcore and death metal with black metal aesthetics and consciously sacrifices tightness and controlled playing to be able to unleash the highest possible level of animalistic rage and fury. On this, their first full-length, Revenge easily manage to top their MCD as well as all the Conqueror output I've heard. This is partially due to a thicker, more appropriate sound. It's still impossible to clearly make out everything that's going on, especially during your first few encounters with _Triumph, Genocide, Antichrist_. But this time there's a lot more punch, especially when it comes to the aptly described Sturmgeschuetz attack bass commanded by Pete Helmkamp (ex-Angelcorpse). The slower sections have also been improved, and they fiercely beat the listener into submission in a totally barbaric way -- one even more primitive than Hellhammer. There aren't many such sections, but they manage to give the total chaos that manifests itself as _TGA_ a slightly more comprehensible form. Finally, the sparse but well-placed vocal contributions from Helmkamp add extra hooks and textures while providing the perfect contrast to J. Read's almost unbearably hysterical and overdriven wail. Let me warn you, however: if because of Helmkamp's involvement you think that this is comparable to Angelcorpse, then you should just stay away from this album. This is indeed a totally different, much meaner and uglier affair. This IS the apocalypse pressed on CD.

(article published 5/4/2003)

GIGS
18/4/2006	J Montague	Deströyer 666 / Revenge / Temple of Baal	An Australian Antichrist in Paris