DEADMARCH
The Project Hate MCMXCIX - Initiation Of Blasphemy
(Vic Records)
52:37min

DEADMARCH can be seen as the embryonic version of THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIX… At work we sometimes play the web-radiostation Kink Aardschok and THE PROJECT HATE MCMXIC (first and last time I write these latin number in this review) caught my attention there already. Quite heavy, with a powerful grunt and (therefore) different than those keyboard and female vocals overloaden types of ‘Metal’ acts that are mainstream these days. And who get a lot of airplay… But on to the music. You get Metal with a brutal grunt by Jörgen Sandstörm (GRAVE, VICIOUS ART, TORTURE DIVISION etc.) and a powerful and groovy guitarsound. On the other hand you get an assisting female vocalist, (exotic) keyboards, groovy riffs. The snare drumsound doesn’t really fit the overall heaviness in my opinion. Some riffs would fit on HYPOCRISY’s album "Abducted" but that’s another of mine. I like to get my (Swedish) Metal served a lot sleazier and raging, but despite the use of female keys it isn’t whimpy (except the intro of ‘So I Mourn’) and this isn’t Gothic or NU Metal. This is their first album and actually recorded with another vocalist called Mikael who, according to the site (correct me if I’m wrong), was sort of upset by being blown away by Jörgen’s backing vocals. This edition of "Deadmarch: Initiation Of Blasphemy" features the former GRAVE frontman handling all male vocals. Apparently it took so long ’cause the original tapes were missing and Lord K decided to have it another thought in 2003. On some tracks you can find the band’s near finding their style ’cause tracks like ‘Divinity Erased’ and ‘So I Mourn’ are blueprints for what would follow on later releases. Conclusion: a groovy but cool debut album with good songwriting but too less variation and with balls to use controversial elements. The music may be too soft for the traditional Death Metal fan due to the female vocals, big keyboard role and the groove. And clearly because it’s never near the other / former bands with Jörgen. On the other hand, Jörgen’s grunt will be too heavy for fans who enjoy their ‘Metal’ spiced up with electronics. Maybe fans of DIMMU BORGIR, SEPTIC FLESH or even OPETH and ETERNAL TEARS AND SORROW (Kink) wil dig this, or at least some parts. THE PROJECT HATE understood the benefit of internet and their website www.theprojecthate.net is more a platform than just a source of information. Or check www.myspace.com/theprojecthate. This album is released through Dutch Vic Records: www.vicrecords.com

Michael Tak

Michael Tak

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