2002-10-13
Dew Scented’s latest release is a perfectly performed, well produced, tastefully arranged Thrashy Death Metal product. Still, I believe it comprises an indicator of a problematic, annoyoing, disturbing manner prevailing in the Swedish and Swedish-influenced relatively-commercial Death-oriented Metal (Dew Scented actually come from Germany), imparting it a rather dull and unnecessary effort.
Dew Scneted consists of a batch of extremley crafty instrumentalists, churning string-skipping Deathy tumult combined with more Thrash-stemmed riffs and at times fast picking and blast beats more typical to Brutal Death or even Black Metal. The rhythm section is tight and accurate, issuing complex riffs and rhythms in a flawless fashion, the singer easily achieves the required intimidation qualities, and the guitar players prove their high technical level in quite extravagant guitar solos, blending succesfully with the accompanying constructed mayhem. All of the aforementioned elements are joined by the meticolously calculated production, allowing a crunchy and powerfull sound, aggressive and ominous yet not over-distorted. So far, so good.
The main problem of the album, and of many in the likes of it, is revealed after the first overwhelming impression is a bit calmed, and the main part of the listener attention is focused on the actual compositional ingredients, inducing the overall musical impression of the album. Then, the horrible, yet completley unsurprising truth is discovered: this album is terribly boring. Even though some of the riffs and solos and different instrumental interludes may be allegedly-original, not blatantly imitating leading bands of the genre as At The Gates or The Haunted, they express feelings of a ridiculously narrow emotional spectrum, transmitting to the listener, since the very first note, a steady drone of simple, unsophisticated shallowness. And yet, the apparent monotony within the realms of a specific album is not the main falsity here: Some bands has applied emotional monochromatics to a great use, as may be seen in the famed works of Katatonia and Agalloch, just to name a few. The problem is that most of the recent Death metal bands, including Dew Scented, do not make the slightest attempt, nor show any hints of intention towards inserting innovating or renovating elements in their musical essence . These bands keep issuing, year after year, one album follows another, the near-exactly same specific mood, without generating any forward movement within their profound characterizating aspects (there are some superficial aesthetic changes). This destructive attitude, being a derivative of some Metal fans’ mind numbness, scorns the dawn of creativity, prefers the easy convenient choice of stagnantly sticking to an existing given approach, although running out of messages to convey a long time ago, trusting the faithful Metal sheep to support this abominable state by constantly praising them, and more siginificant - purchasing their albums.
I’ll have to desclaim and state that I’m sure Dew Scented and any similar bands do not act the way they do as a result of malignant motives. They just follow the trend dictated by some Metal industry activists and certain slices of the Metal fan public. Moreover, some of the bands, as Dew Scneted, are very good at what they do, and actually don’t deserve any anger turned towards them. Let us just not buy these repetitive releases, but instead settle by enjoying the great old creations of the genre, and hope for new innovative output from the current active artists.
Tom Orgad
