Destiss
Nemo Unus Parsurus Nemo Unus Omiterus
8
North American Black Metal is having quite the year. However, while acts like Leviathan, Xasthur, and Krieg have made dark ambience the order of the day, Chicago's Distess takes a more direct route to the listener's jugular with their seven song debut Nemo Unus Parsurus Nemo Unus Omiterus.
Hailing from Chicago, Destiss was formed from the ashes of the death metal acts Stygian and Putrid Dissentary. And while the approach on this album makes obvious nods to the work of Norwegian acts ranging from Enslaved to Windir to early Dimmu Borgir, much of the death metal mentality also seems to have been kept in tact. With the exception of but a few scattered moments, Destiss are in constant kill mode on this release. The album's opener "Primary Creation" enforces the album's gait with a driving mid paced riff before charging the legions forward with some blistering tremolo picking. The following track, "Visage of Grace," lurches forward at a far more subdued pace and features a chord progression that accounts for the early Dimmu Borgir reference. "Condeming Force" follows and is probably the strongest track on the album. Blasting out of the gates with requisite blackened death ferocity, this song builds to a frantic crescendo only to reward the listener with a subtle melodic interlude. Other highlights include the darkly dissonant "Pain's Blessed Children" and the melodic thrash oriented "Upon Feeble Backs." Destiss cover all the bases on this release and they do so with the professionalism of a more experienced band. Each of tracks are well composed and complete, so they are each able to distinguish themselves in the listener's mind. The ability with which the band weaves through various styles and tempos without any sacrifice of heaviness or continuity is a true testament to a songwriting ability that most bands lack at this stage in their career.
Another subject of merit is the nearly perfect production the band was able to achieve for this album. While many bands ruin perfectly good albums by trying to capture the raw and organic sound of the early 90's Norwegian scene, Destiss simply sound like they plugged and played. Nothing is intentionally overproduced, underproduced, or particularly affected in any way. The songs are simply allowed to convey their own merit. This is beautiful because it really captures the passion with which this band plays.
This album is borderline amazing. Any record label that wants to pick up on a black metal band that can appeal to pretty much any self respecting metal fan should give these guys a chance, because they've got the goods. In addition to being remarkably talented, this band also seems to possess the ever so intangible "it." Find this album, and buy it.
