CoC : Alastis - The Other Side : Review

Alastis - _The Other Side_
(Century Media, 1997)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)

For those of you into the works of such bands as Tiamat, Samael or Moonspell comes the latest Century Media signing, Alastis (all the aforementioned bands are on CM, too). _The Other Side_, the debut album for Century Media from this Swiss quartet (they have had two previous releases), is knee-deep in epic song structures, ambiance, and heaviness. Produced by the brilliant Waldemar Sorychta (Grip Inc., Tiamat, Samael), _TOS_ showcases a truly unique pairing of ambiance with intensity. The music is deafening at times with a towering presence of darkened ambiance coating the assault against our senses. Brutal yet soothing, the varied assortment of songs and ideas do make this an album worth investigating. While the variety of songs is adequate and the band isn't doing anything really 'groundbreaking,' it is the sound of _TOS_ that is the album's best asset - thanks to Sorychta. Chock one up for Sorychta once again as he has brought out something unique sounding in Alastis, allowing them not to be dismissed as just another doom/dark metal band.

(article published 13/5/1997)

ALBUMS
1/9/1998	P Schwarz	4	Alastis - Revenge