Angelcorpse - The Inexorable [1999]

Angelcorpse’s sophomore ‘’Exterminate’’ was by far their most efficient release, even though its predecessor ‘’Hammer Of Gods’’ held an even more savage aura, and Angelcorpse’s final offering of the 90’s proves to be logical continuation of the previous record, yet for some reason, it’s their third release, ‘’The Inexorable’’ which appealed to me most. While the third siege may seem like an almost exact copy of the previous release, there are some nuances that make up all the deviation it needs to progress and thrive even further, despite the fact that the differences in between the two records are genuinely very little. ‘’The Inexorable’’ arranges the fulsome spectrum of riffs that previous albums possessed and puts them in order, thus giving birth to even more mature structures and riffs, more consistent patterns and more balanced elusive manoeuvres. With ‘’The Inexorable’’ the music reaches its utter peek in ripeness and the aftermath of the storm is (as always) nothing but sheer destruction.

Angelcorpse’s compositions have improved, and they have positioned their black and death metal textures even more carnally this time. The death metal half of ‘’The Inexorable’’ is just as it was on the previous record, robust, tantalizing, brutal and copious, boasting savagery and culminating annihilation, but the black metal side of the coin has differed, embracing the dispersing elements even more than before and giving more room to utter complexity and brain tangling riffs – proving to be quite varying over only single songs. The choppier yet cleaner tone also deserves laud, sustaining the bridge between crushing and energetic at all times. With nearly all of its implements properly placed, ‘’The Inexorable’’ becomes an even more efficient piece of artillery, and its hooks are bound dig even further into your flesh, because the band has also gotten rid of most of the hindrances that had the potential to mar the riffs and affect their diversity, so the album ultimately packs a more boggling punch than its predecessors.

Its maturity is the only aspect that separates it from its peers, and frankly it’s the only aspect that puts off metalheads that are more into the savage and blunt edge of Angelcorpse, rather than its riper side. ‘’The Inexorable’’ does have a small negative side, though. AS it focuses too much on the fertility and fullness of the massive, crushing guitar tone, it leaves the drums and bass almost in audible. In exchange, the album does attain a more enveloping sound and aura, but also becomes nearly devoid of one of Angelcorpse’s crucial intensity attributes; the drumming. While straightforward death metal overtones may render the drums clean, the blackened bestiality is far too cavernous for the drums to sustain complete audibility, therefore, they are sometimes rendered clean and sometimes inaudible. But even though the drums are sometimes marred, it does not prevent the riffs in general from possessing efficiency. ‘’The Inexorable’’ is probably not the favourite Aneglcorpse album of many, but to me it is, with its sharp hooks and everything. ‘’Exterminate’’ is very closely behind it, but my decision is likely to change frequently. 

Highlights

''The Fall Of The Idols Of Flesh''

''Stormgods Unbound''

''Smoldering In Exile''

Final Rating

Masterpiece [9/10]

Angelcorpse - Hammer Of Gods [1996]

While their later releases ‘’Exterminate’’ and ‘’The Inexorable’’ will prove to be more cunning and technically surpassing albums, Angelcorpse’s debut album ‘’Hammer Of Gods’’ is not without flaws. The third and second effort are closely related, both possessing a more lively edge and a processed portion of Angelcorpse’s savage attitude, but although ‘’Hammer of Gods’’ is just frenetic and just crazed with erupting blackened death metal fury, it’s clear that it hasn’t fully been turned into a credible substance, thus offering no more than pure demented aggression. Even so, the debut remains as the most frantically driven and it beholds a strength that could reduce any man into cinder within the blink of an eye, therefore ‘’Hammer Of Gods’’ stands as Angelcorpse’s most barbaric incursion, although so of its blows may tend to miss its target.

The overwhelming savagery has an obvious reason here. The musicianship hasn’t properly developed, and therefore we’re left with heaps of uncontrollable energy and callow riffs, enjoyable nonetheless. ‘’Hammer Of Gods’’ big flaw is the lack of prowess, but it’s also devoid of the spiking, sturdy guitar tone of ‘’Exterminate’’ (which augmented even further on ‘’The Inexorable’’), leading us to fibrous riffs, dispersing and scattering vigorously. Of course, the coarse jumble of tremolos and chords are totally gut-splattering. ‘’Hammer Of Gods’’ will punch you with its iron hammer again and again, and it will send a swirling vortex of chaos upon the remainders of your pulverized body to distort even further. Every song is just another strike of the hammer, numbing continuously, and your flesh will be all but gobs of meat when the album ends.

If you want a tantalizing demonstration of Angelcorpse’s early sound, look no further than this record. It’s accessible compared to the band’s demo material but still raw, demented and drunk with power. The drumming is simple, crude blast beats, while the vocals are throatier than ever, and the production is also a futile one, raw and decrepit. I can’t say that this is my favourite old school Angelcorpse record, but I can’t say I dislike it either, because after all, there’s still stuff here that would make your head jut up and down until snaps, and no matter how crude it is compared to its peers, I can’t help but enjoy this berserk black/death album. 

Highlights

''The Scapegoat''

''Lord Of The Funeral Pyre''

''Envenomed''

Final Rating

Awesome [8.4/10]

Angelcorpse - Exterminate [1998]

US blackened death metal legends Angelcorpse were the definition of war metal. Everything the band did in the 90’s was gold, and alongside Blasphemy, Gospel Of The Horns, Conqueror, Destroyer 666, Angelcorpse were one of the bands which had a massive impact of the modern black/death scene, pretty much innovating all the bands which featured extremely aggressive riffs with loads of speed, precision and corpulence. Their music is absolutely crushing, devastating, and culminating with aggravating lyrical content of war, war, and war. To make a long story short, Angelcorpse innovated the black/death scene as we know it, and to this day, their tracks reek of nothing but war, destruction and complete devastation and abhorrence against humanity.

Their sound is defined by pummelling drum beats, shattering and scathing visceral vitriol all around, and the closest comparison would be the primal war metal bands of the 90’s with additional blasting elements snatched from the Florida death metal scene to boast the rambunctious, devastating porthole of riffs, sprayed upon the listener within an instant. Although all of Angelcorpse’s albums are robust excursions and perplexing brutality and ravaging decimation, their second offering ‘’Exterminate’’ ultimately lives up to its name, fabricating and culminating the utmost brutality that Angelcorpse ever bestirred. ‘’Exterminate’’ is such a complex warp of constantly deviating disaster that it never seems to cease in speed and the richly layered textures are always on the work, either pummelling guts of rapidly surfacing through flesh, but constantly damaging all the same.

With its intellectual approach to blackened death metal, ‘’Exterminate’’ sounds almost like a slightly technical death metal album, but the fog of seething old school black metal corruption makes sure such an event never occurs, stabilizing the album’s position as old school. Although Angelcorpse take a plentiful measure of black metal and shove them up the furious death metal content, ‘’Exterminate’’ has evolved in a way that renders the black metal influence nearly invisible, and the black metal traits have slowly blended with the death metal traits, forming a fusion that harnesses the energy of both within one wreathed chord whirlwind.

‘’Exterminate’’ will batter down the walls of your ears. It’s monstrously crushing, contemptuous, and writhing. While it can easily shatter with its terrific line of turbulences, it still tends to add some variation into these violent incursions, embellishing the outrageous chord fluctuations with diverse melodies here and there, and you’ll also see a massive breakdown at seldom, where the music channels into one smashing thrash chug all of a sudden. The vocals are raspy and to the point, exhaling words without procrastinating anything, and the drums are just as ill-tempered as the guitars, rolling in and forth between blast beats, blast beats and yet more blast beats. ‘’Exterminate’’, alongside with Angelcorpse’s early work are masterpieces of brutality, and a completely different view of war as we know it. 

Highlights

''Reap The Whirlwind''

''Wartorn''

''That Which Lies Upon''

''Sons Of Vengeance''

Final Rating

Almost A Masterpiece [8.9/10]