CoC : Engulfed - Castellated Architecture : Review

Engulfed - _Castellated Architecture_
by: Alain M. Gaudrault (3 out of 5)

This is without a doubt the heaviest band I've heard come out of Scotland. I hear shades of Carcass, older Entombed, and even Bolt Thrower. Takes a while to get past the thin production and odd guitar sound, but underneath the mire are some passable tunes played with much conviction. What this band needs, in my opinion is time; time to become better songwriters, time to become a better unit. This isn't the tightest demo I've heard, not by a longshot, but then, that's not really a prerequisite for grindcore, by which this is heavily influenced. Lyrics to the first three songs deal with medieval imagery, while the last three are inspired more by Satan. Odd combo, but to each his own, I say. Vocals are your standard grind fare, combining warped growls with high-pitched screaming, generally unwavering albeit well delivered. While not very original in nature, _Castellated Architecture_ is still a decent listen for grind/death enthousiasts.

Contact: ENGULFED, c/o Kelvin Cook

(article published 18/11/1996)