CoC : Septic Flesh - Sumerian Daemons : Review

Septic Flesh - _Sumerian Daemons_
(Hammerheart, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (9.5 out of 10)

One can only speculate as to the reasons why Septic Flesh chose to tarnish an otherwise sparkling discography with a left-turn bowel movement of an album like _Revolution DNA_. At the same time, one would also wonder whether it was the realization of said album's many flaws that fuelled the creative fires that would eventually conjure up the frankly stunning _Sumerian Daemons_. You see, Septic Flesh have made good with an album that is as surprisingly fresh-sounding as it is a work of sheer musical genius. While the slow doom-dirge of _Mystical Places of Dawn_ has been rendered exclusively to the past, _Sumerian Daemons_ sees the welcome reinstatement of the deep guttural vocals which once formed part of the band's trademark. At the same time, there is also a marked increase in speed, brutality and the kind of dense, layered synths which would be at home on anything Devin Townsend has put his name to. The classical / Greek influence which used to form the basis for most, if not all of Septic Flesh's melodies is still very prevalent, only this time round it's been awarded a more sinister dark tone. Indeed the opening riff to "Red Code Cult" would almost easily suit an Immortal song. Likewise, the bleak, futuristic atmosphere conjured up by "When All Is None" makes the melodies sound even more immense and majestic. Truly there is very little that one could reasonably fault on this record, save for the odd occasion where a blast beat is almost lazily tacked on to a song. _Sumerian Daemons_ is without a doubt Septic Flesh's finest offering to date and one which blows craters of mythological proportions into a big majority of recent death metal releases.

(article published 27/5/2003)

CHATS
15/3/2005	J Smit	Septic Flesh: Farewell to the Flesh

ALBUMS
7/6/1998	P Azevedo	8	Septic Flesh - A Fallen Temple
13/5/1997	D Schinzel	8	Septic Flesh - The Ophidian Wheel

GIGS
11/5/2008	J Smit	Vader / Septic Flesh / Devian	Pedigree Butchery