Antichristian Front Records (2008)

Of course we like these bigger labels providing us with albums we like, naming Century Media, Nuclear Blast, RoadRunner and more. You know what you get, most of the time… And then there are those of us who like to dwell in the underground, looking for more obscure releases where sound is less important coming to the common view on how sound should be like. But mind you, also underground bands can have a sound that do justice to music, such as Carach Angren, whose sound is more focused than my thoughts right before I’m going to have sex.

In the middle there are bands as Sarcoma Inc. The sound is more than good enough, yet it’s luckily far from being crystal clear and lifeless. Not that crystal clear always means lifeless, because an album such as Origin’s “Antithesis” definitely demands a sparkling production. However, with a sound such as the one Sarcoma Inc. has on their third release the only thing left to ruin the whole thing would be the music, since sound alone normally can’t make me like an album. That’s basically only for Diamanda Galas and Abruptum to do!

The music on “Psychopahology” is mostly fast black metal with a thrashy feeling. And with this third album, Daemon and Arghamon have written their best so far. It consists of great tracks with great parts. And it’s at times surprisingly catchy, just like we remember the best thrash metal bands used to make back in the 80’s. “Cult Of Sacrifice” is tremendous when the music is at half speed and the short blastbeat section does its job to diverse the song a bit. The main melody is simple and ear-candy, but really cool. “Fullmoon Maniac” has a wicked section lasting from 1.44 to 4.58. It’s like one long solo consisting of like 15 smaller ones. I’ve never heard anything like that in extreme metal. I guess the closest are the few solos that Hannemann/King do in “Angel Of Death”. And the remainders of “Fullmoon “Manica” is great ass well, making this a highlight on “Psychopathology”.

But the whole album is great. Great songs, variation and much will to power. Daemon is one angry motherfucker and doesn’t come around to save souls. In fact, it’s brutal and focused and full of energy. Towards the end there are two shorter interludes. They reduce the whole impression simply because it softens the realise up a bit, while the closer “Torment Rides Forever” is a slow track that could’ve been the middle track on the album, making the album a bit more dynamic than it already is.

But if black metal with thrash influences is the name of your game, “Psychopathology” is, despite the rather dull cover, a safe purchase.

www.myspace.com/sarcomainc
www.myspace.com/antichristianfront_rec

Composed by Roy Kristensen