2007-06-07
I have to give it to these young Swedish thrashers, their third album, the first one to be released on a label (their own), is one mature piece of work that holds up in regards to technical abilities, song writing, and energetic aggression.
Probably the first thing to differentiate the band from its many counterparts is the female vocalist, Kitty Saric, also known as Metallic Kitty; she is one strong growler that even manages to inject some diversity into a vocal delivery that is known for being flat most of the time. Other than that, the band has enough talent and strong songwriting to make this memorable.
The music here fluctuates from quite technical yet melodic thrash, to some cuts that drift more towards melodic death metal at times because of the harsh growled vocals, but also because of the aggression evident in some of the tracks. It works in both cases, though it might prove a bit too cerebral for those looking for more straight-forward and simple thrash.
The opener, "Corrosion", is a good example of the band's ability; fine playing all-round, the guitar riffs and both melodic and technically accomplished, and the rhythm section certainly holds its own. One thing I liked about the vocals is the strong groove factor in them, and the way they fit in with the clear and evidently well thought-off lyrics. Some songs feel a bit overlong at times, but the fact is they contain so many well written riffs and intelligent lyrics, that is would seem almost a crime to shorten them in any way.
The title track is one of the more sophisticated tracks here, closer to melodic death, it has some smart riffs going for it, and the rather technical presentation of the track seems to work for it. The best cut here, however, is "Theater Of The Absurd", a more clear-cut thrash number with a great vocal delivery by Saric, who moves from lower-end deep growls to higher, classic thrash-like vocals, the music isn’t overly complicated and the song just sticks to your mind quite fast.
With all these elements going for it, and a sound that's both crisp and clear, there isn’t too much to fault here, Decadence deliver a contemporary thrash effort with some extra aggression, and they do it very well.
Alon Miasnikov
