PANDEMONIUM „Misanthropy”

Music: Black Metal
Website: www.pandemonium.metal.pl
Duration: 41 minutes (8 tracks)
Country: Poland

I have here before me the latest album of our native legend – PANDEMONIUM! I must admit that Ive awaited this album impatiently. As one of a few I am honoured by the opportunity of getting to know the material before the premiere. I expected something huge and I wasnt disappointed!

The cover of the album (still in PANDEMONIUM style) began to fuel my curiosity So, before me lie 8 compositions. The first one, The Black Forest, begins almost ethnically, presenting a few-seconds long vocalise in the intro (a kind of throaty singing used ritually by e.g. Siberian shamen) to turn into a sound semi-typical for PANDEMONIUM but with a large dose of new solutions. Very grim Dark Black Metal with an element of classical Black Metal similar to old BURZUM and HELLHAMMER… in moderate tempo with dark recitations and cries summoning horrifying mood full of hysterical despair and even Black Metal melancholy (emphasized by unique solos)

The piece God Delusion shows ambient, dark keyboards, which in the intro are entangled with ominous howling of the wind and dog barking (something rarely heard) just to reveal its arranging might in the next moment the heavy sounds of the guitars, polyphonic and monstrous vocals and psychedelic solos create Evil itself A climate close to CHRIST AGONY… However, its still PANDEMONIUM, seemingly the same but more powerful, even more grim and terrifying, which is proven by the next piece Necro Judas again an ambient intro, evoking pictures of hellish tortures in your mind The piece at times really slow but in Doom Metal tempo, continuously in Black Metal climate

Each composition surprises with introduction and ornaments embedded into mighty riffs, war drums and demonic vocals. At least short fragments of Stones Are Eternal or Misanthropy showed female voice creating Middle Eastern climate. Additional Eastern accents are heard also in the melodies (perhaps performed on some traditional instruments). So, as the boys from the band foretold, the material is really ethnic

The final composition presents a recitation in PANDEMONIUM mother tongue, which is a total novelty for the band and which shows the pagan tone and multi-ethnicity of the album. The compositions are mainly in moderate tempo although sometimes faster parts appear. In spite all of this there are still the ideas in PANDEMONIUM style very dynamic, with unique rhythm of the riffs and drums.

The whole album makes one feel surrounded with the sound, including complicated structures of riffs. The music is filled with hellish climate, it fuels the imagination and evokes emotions wrath, anger, even fury and sadness or despair.

Each composition from Misanthropy is a dark hymn and arranging genius in itself its verbalized Evil, fear and primal destructive Power

The album is brilliant. Without any shadow of doubt its the best album of PANDEMONIUM and the best Black Metal album I listened to in 2011 (although they are to release it on 10 March 2012 its really worth waiting for!!!).

note: 10/10

Tracklist

1. The Black Forest
2. God Delusion
3. Necro Judas
4. Stones Are Eternal
5. Avant-Garde Underground
6. Everlasting Opposition
7. Only the Dead Will See the End of War
8. Misanthropy

Line-up

Michael: Bass
Szymon: Drums
Mark: Guitars
Paul: Vocals & Guitars
Khorzon: Keyboards & Samples