Album Review: Desolate Shrine - Fires Of The Dying World
Reviewed by Patrick O'Reilly
Desolate Shrine hail from Finland, a country with a fine pedigree of metal, particularly death metal and this new album is more than worthy to be counted amongst the classics of that country.
This is a very heavy hitting album with great production and song writing that has an epic feel to it that instantly elevates it above the majority of death metal I have listened to this year. It conjures memories of many different bands but has its own sound and identity and is a really polished collection of great death metal songs.
Following a creepy acoustic intro the band launch into opening track ‘Echoes in the Halls of Vanity’ which bombards with heavy barrages of tremolo picked riffs. Next track ‘The Dying World’ is more traditional in its riffs and drumming with atmospheric mid paced sections abounding. ‘The Silent God’ ups the tempo for a fast paced rampage before leading into next track ‘Cast to Walk the Star of Sorrow’ which opens with discordant notes that blossom into a huge riff backed by synths. ‘My undivided Blood’ is up next and slows the pace again before the album closes with my favourite track ‘The Furnace of Hope’ which features a groove laden riff that calls to mind the main riff from Morbid Angel’s ‘Where the Slime Live’
The whole album sounds great with a real clarity in the production and song lengths of 6-8 minutes mostly which allow the songs to develop and hook you in. There is a classic feel to this music, fans of old school metal will feel right at home with it but the quality of the riffs and the meaty production mean most fans of extreme music will find something to love here.
A brutal, memorable journey into the depths of old school death metal that never outstays its welcome, my only criticism of this album is the lack of solos but with songs this good it hardly matters.
I would recommend this album in particular for fans of – Bolt Thrower, My Dying Bride, Morbid Angel, and Incantation!
