Although this is a 2012 release, getting this promo during the last week of 2011 is one of the best things that happened to me lately! I’ve been following this band since their debut demo tape “Decadent Religious Archetype” and every release they forged so far was a significant step forward in terms of production and songwriting. “The Spell Of Damnation” is not an exception! Pure sonic darkness is what these Mexicans have been creating since day one, the further – the darker! While being a 100% traditional Death Metal release, this album won’t make any of you Metalheads think “ok, so they sound like this, that or other old band” 2 minutes after you press the “Play” button. Neither will this thought pass through your mind when the last song is over. What you should expect here, anyway, is an almost 40 minutes long dose of mid-paced Death Metal. “Atmosphere” is the key word here, and the uncomfortable feeling of tension will follow the listener throughout the whole album, if he only listens carefully. If I was forced to start a name dropping in order to give a reference, I would mention bands like the Brazilian EMBALMED SOULS and the Mexican SARGATANAS – always overlooked yet very consistent bands that never had any big spotlight on them, but created some of the heaviest and darkest sounding tunes in the Death Metal history. What “The Spell Of Damnation” does lack is guitar solos. The solos are almost non-existent (except for some really short ones) in all of their releases so far, though it seems to be not a result of lacking skills but an intentional decision, because you can’t say that this album doesn’t sound mature enough or that these guys don’t know what they do. Overall it’s a really honest and impressive sounding album to start 2012 with, give it a chance! www.myspace.com/ominouscrucifix, www.fda-records.com

The past year we witnessed a surge of strong debuts from Death Metal bands, young and old. OMINOUS CRUCIFIX are one of the what seems like a growing number of new talents worldwide. Mexico already has a proud Metal tradition, but there’s always room for fresh blood. “The Spell Of Damnation” is their debut album, and it comes after a near three year silence from 2009 to late 2011. There’s very little, if any, blasting on this album. Instead, the Scandinavian, AUTOPSY-inspired style permeates the record, but of course I intend this as a positive criticism. In addition, the somewhat dry, parched production is highly evocative, and suits the band’s songwriting quite well. One may think of the awesome, monolithic atmospheres of THE CHASM on songs such as ‘Putrid Purity’, a 7 minutes Death Metal epic. Another feature of the album which I greatly appreciate are the catchy and, dare I say, rather groovy riffs. Perhaps an ASPHYX influence is at work, but whatever the cause OMINOUS CRUCIFIX know full well how to get one’s head banging by the sheer strength of riffs alone. Listen to ‘Defiling The Altars Of An Absent God’ or ‘Primitive Sin’ or ‘Secular Omens Of Doom’ to get my meaning. Alternatively, you could listen to the entire album, which would be ideal because the entire record really is quite good. The fifth song, ‘Secular Omens’ stands out (for me at least) as a hallmark of the album and of OMINOUS CRUCIFIX’s potential. The song keeps a steady drum beat, but the guitars build upon and accompany one another, producing haunting, echoing sounds that cause the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. If nothing else, treat yourself to a listen of this song. A mighty impressive band who deserve support! www.myspace.com/ominouscrucifix, www.fda-records.com