CoC : Shattered Remains - Black Lotus : Review

Shattered Remains - _Black Lotus_
by: Adrian Magers (3 out of 5)

A solo project from a Cleveland, Ohio axegrinder by the name of Gary Scott, Shattered Remains is a somewhat of an unpolished gem. There's a good deal of great work on this four song demo (which is comprised of material written over a decade ago). Setting aside production issues, one is treated to lethal dose of mid-tempo thrash fury. The vocals are seething and fit the music, but could definitely be improved. Guitar tone is another large complaint, but the riffs themselves shine through just the same. Although this isn't anything groundbreaking, and one could protest that there's a certain lack of any sense of pioneering on their part, considering the time period and other factors this is quite an admirable piece of work. There are plenty of surprises and shifts in the songs that keep the listener entertained throughout the disc's short duration. With a slightly crisper production and work on general areas of the band, the music featured could definitely be something that most metal labels would give a considerate listen to. Because this demo is quite dated, I'm definitely interested in hearing what Shattered Remains mainman Gary Scott has come up with since.

Contact: visiongtr@cox.net

(article published 29/9/2003)