Time Signature Death metal maniac...

Genre: death metal

Behold the re-issue of death metal act Cianide's 2005-album Hell's Rebirth - complete with no less than six bonus tracks, five of which are demo-versions of songs already on the album.

The album was originally released in 2005, but it sound like it is from 1994, as it contains pure old school death metal. Now, this should be no big surprise, seeing that Cianide were indeed part of the first death metal wave and have been wreaking havoc since the early 1990s. Thus, we are treated to heavy, and often primitive (which is a good thing, I hasten to add) riffs mixed with one-stringed tremolo death metal chaos as well as more thrashy riffage, accompanied by straight up old school metal drumming and a bass that is nearly inaudible, but whose presence is felt in the fat bottom (pun unintended) that characterizes the old school brutality of the production of the album. Some tracks like 'Curse of the Dead' have a nice thumping groove to them, and there is also a certain touch of crust to be heard on the album (most prominently in 'Powerhead')

While not overly technical, the song in this album do contain a considerable about of changes, and in that respect, their music is not dissimilar to Morta Skuld. Also, blastbeat-sections do pop up every now and then, but whenever they do, they are more akin to old school death-grind along the lines of Symphonies of Sickness-era Carcass, early 90s Napalm Death, and early Bolt Thrower.

Primitive and old school, the songs on this album are nonetheless quite compelling and have the power to draw you in and set your body to moshing mode. Thus, fans of old school death metal are bound to adore this moshfest of a reissue.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)