SPHERES

Pestilence

Tech/Extreme Prog Metal

4.18 | 124 ratings

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toroddfuglesteg

Where do I start......... ?

This album was released at a time when a lot of those Death-clones (referring to the band of the same name) also released some weirdo albums which was a radical departure from the normal death metal staple diet. I am referring to the likes off Morgoth, Cancer and Death themselves. Spheres is far more radical than any other death metal affiliated albums from that time. We are talking a fusion between death metal and jazz, no less. Which is a lot to chew on. Most people only took one bite and then vomited. Hence the album not being a commercial success.

The album starts as a more or less death metal album with a lot of references to Death. I have always regarded Pestilence as a Death clone. They cannot hide this even on Spheres. The album then takes a sharp turn to the left and heads into a smoky jazz club somewhere in Hamburg. Still with a hefty death metal sound included. The vocals for example is growling. This is actually working fine in this context. The music also implements elements of electronica and prog rock in addition to death metal and a very large dosage of jazz. Does fire and water mix well ? Yes, this album is not too bad. I am still a bit shellshocked and this album demands a lot of time + an open mind. But I think Pestilence has pulled it off. I still think it has some major flaws.The divide between jazz and death metal is too great to bridge. It is like employing Britney Spears as the new vocalist in King Crimson. But as a whole; this album works on it's own terms. I kinda like it, although it is too radical for me to play on a regular basis. But onwards the musical revolutionary brigade. 3 stars given for the music alone.

3 stars

toroddfuglesteg | 3/5 | 2009-7-31

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