Enshadowed
Intensity
7.1
Beginning as a three-piece want-to-be Norwegian black metal band, Enshadowed has endured many line-up changes to form what is now a rather impressive 5-piece Greek black/death metal band. Providing touches of occasional melody to a full-onslaught brutal attack, Enshadowed has properly titled their second full length album, Intensity. At first listen, you may brush off Enshadowed as a bit boring, but there is more to this sound after you let everything sink in. I haven't been able to quite pinpoint it, but after each listen this release continually grew on me.
Providing ultimate fury akin to the mighty Behemoth from Poland, Enshadowed offer some shredding riffs combined with the occasional melodic fast picked riffs like something you might find in an Amon Amarth album. Starting with a somber piano intro, you would almost think Intensity was ready to serve up some gothic black metal in the vein of Cradle of Filth, on the contrary, as soon as this piano intro takes an abrupt stop the pummeling begins with harsh riffs and haunting growls in the song "Sunya-Bindu". This song quickly spirals into technical finesse only to hit a sudden halt which leads into a harsh metal grimace inducing slow riff. Its little things like this layered throughout the punishment Enshadowed delivers that will make you take notice of what this band has to offer. Founding member, Necro and Psychoas provide some sick neck-crawling guitar riffs, harsh harmonics, and blistering fast intensity. Diastropheus brings some harsh bass lines to the mix when heard with some almost slap like bass lines similar to something you might hear from Cryptopsy. Due to some harsh production though, when the full band onslaught is at hand his bass often sounds like a murky mess. VitasNemesis provides the fast drumming with powerful double kicks, crushing blasts, and some technicality for good measure. I think the drums are what suffer the most from the production; the double kicks sounds a bit too clicky and occasionally the toms can get left by the wayside. Lastly, Snegodron provides some brutal growls along with some haunting screams to put the finishing touches on the entity that is Enshadowed.
Production aside, this is an album worth looking into. With a bit of technical furiosity and powerful song structure, these Greek metalers know what they're doing. With songs like "Sunya-Bindu" and "Horrenda Nox" it didn't take me too long to warm up to this band and nod my head in sick approval of what they had to offer. If you're looking for some brutal death combined with harsh raw black metal fury I highly recommend you look up the band Enshadowed, Intensity will not disappoint.
