IMPURE DECLARATION
Mind Upheaval, Unclear Signs
(Morbid Chapel Records)
22:02min

Again a Morbid Chapel release (see ANCIENT WISDOM review), again no proper information about the artist. What does that mean for me? “Hey you are into it so find out for yourself? Go-go Inspector Clouseau?” or “promotion is for wimps, please leave the hall?” Come on! Well, ok, loupes out and let’s see what I find out. First: IMPURE DECLARATION are probably from Poland (the title of track 3 ‘Szepty’ gave the clue) (a quick look at Metal Archives would have been easier, Mr. Klöcker – Frank). Well I had to look it up, but THEN it was the clue). Second: ‘Mind Upheaval, Unclear Signs’ is a demo, released as a tape. The picture format of the cover gave that away (tapes are not dead, we all know that). Third: it is a demo. Four tracks, 22:02min – looks like a demo. What’s next? From the look of the logo I expected something like GRAVE MIASMA. And – you won’t believe it – that is close to the direction the record heads to. Death Metal – the rotting, reeking, slimy foul and miserable way. Add chunks of ASPHYX inspired Doom passages (‘Pages In Blood’) and a pinch (!) of Black Metal and you are there, drinking coffee in a coffin (black, no sugar, no milk). Dark growling reverbsoaked vocals (quite cool, a bit like the first BELPHEGOR record), dark riffs (also cool, less single notes, more chords moving up and down), some moody dark hypnotizing passages, a dark sound (yes, also cool, upper class demo recording), dark song titles (‘Shrines Of Blood And Slime’, ‘Fumes Replacing The Soul’). And more straight forward than my last sentence. All in all a ghoulish package! There are three or four cheesy riffs (meck-meck-meck), but IMPURE DECLARATION will get rid of those when the first full length comes out, which will be pretty soon I would imagine for this is very good stuff. And I really like the cover artwork: a black and white drawing of a cup (the grail?) filled with eyes, the ophthalmic nerve still attached and with the face of Jigsaw’s mask (yeah, the dude from the movies) on the shaft. Instant t-shirt design. All right, case closed. More information you will find at: www.morbidchapelrecords.com, https://morbidchapelrecords.bandcamp.com

Tim Klöcker

Tim Klöcker

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