Nefastus Dies
Prelude (Promo)
6.5
Having signed up to review this demo simply based on the band name and album artwork, I was pleasantly surprised but the fact that Prelude is actually pretty damn good. This short demo release features some of the most tasteful keyboards I’ve heard, and the group’s blasting yet melodic brand of black metal is a welcome change from what has been coming out of the scene lately. At a mere thirteen minutes, this two song demo makes a strong statement of intent from Nefastus Dies.
Consisting of winding, speedy, serpentine black metal riffs, Prelude is well-written and hints at the possibility of an impressive full length. Though it’s hard to adequately analyze the band’s style considering the short length of this release, the songwriting strikes me as versatile, and Nefastus Dies are equally at ease with fast-paced riffs and slower, more emotional ones. On the whole, this is an impressive example of songwriting, though I could have done without the ambient filler towards the end of the second track.
As far as musicianship, Nefastus Dies are solid, with tight riffing and fast though relatively uninventive drumming. For black metal, their playing is slightly above average. The production on this demo is excellent, and the synths are mixed well, sounding subtle rather than overpowering. The keyboards, due to competent playing and mixing, manage to highlight the riffs and add to the texture, rather than sounding overpowering.
Though I usually don’t recommend that people check out demos or obscure EP’s, Prelude is pretty interesting. If Nefastus Dies can put together something of this caliber for a full-length album, I will be impressed. If you’re a fan of black metal and you aim to listen to as many bands of the genre as possible, I would encourage you to give this a play or two.
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6/10/2008