SEMARGL
Satanogenesis
(Deathgasm Records)
55.12min

Sometimes less is more, but sadly SEMARGL did not have this in mind when they recorded their first full-length. At its best moments this album offers fast Death Metal like DEICIDE and Black Metal that reminds, especially the mid-tempo and slow parts, of GORGOROTH. But the tracks are repeatedly interrupted by enervating noises, something like Industrial or whatever. The reason for this is completely beyond my knowledge, but I know that those interruptions are entirely destroying the whole album. Maybe the band is trying to be avantgarde or modern, maybe they did not have enough material, maybe the person responsible for the noise is some kind of egocentric. Like in other bands, when the guitarist is forcing another and another guitar solo, the computer programmer in SEMARGL is constantly unleashing this noise. The problem is, there are good and enjoyable moments of Death and Black Metal on "Satanogenesis", but the keyboard / synthesizer attacks makes this release inaudible. If it were just interludes, then the listener could easily skip to the next song, but the Industrial attacks are embedded within the songs. In fact they disfigure the songs, because it is just absolutely inappropriate. You listen to some fine piece of Metal, then suddenly a noise that reminds of a tape being "eaten" by the player appears and then the music is tipping over into Industrial. I do not mind non-Metal influences, but they have to fit to the music. Again and again I tried, but it is really hard to listen to this output from the first to the last song in one piece and every time I did so I nearly lost my nerves. So for next release SEMARGL should definitely leave the Industrial noise behind and concentrate on classical Death / Black Metal – sometimes less is more. www.semargl.com.ua

Mirco Szymyslik

Mirco Szymyslik

SEMARGL
Satanogenesis
(More Hate Productions)
55:14min

SEMARGL used to be a potential Ukraine Black / Death Metal act earlier that changed their musical orientation very drastically in the later years, just to become – according to some articles and reviews about them, some sort of a mishmash of Dance, Pop, Trance and Electronic music and Mallcore act (the band’s latest album is called "Satanic Pop Metal", released in 2012, so go figure). How dare you? Nah, gladly I don’t have to stick to my fingers into such a disgusting crap. I rather try to enjoy all I can what SEMARGL used to represent in the past, which was a pretty convincingly played mixture of both Black and Death Metal. However, in 2006 these Ukraine Metallers put out their 2nd album, titled "Satanogenesis", which was a somewhat uniquely crafted album all around. This is not definitely your typical Black / Death Metal but it’s been spiced up with some pretty cool, different effects and stuff. But what makes "Satanogenesis" worth listening actually, is similar catchy and striking oddities in some melody lines where Mr. Jon Nödtveidt proved to be a true master at: at those godly and magnetic melodies on the DISSECTION releases really. SEMARGL have got the same captivating magic on this record, as some parts of their songs prove it in such a beautifully way. In all honesty’s sake it must be said that SEMARGL have been capable of creating some dark, darn twisted and creeping atmospheres within their stuff – and hence it feels very odd that they decided to lose the type of musical formula that they already had successfully captured into the songs on "Satanogenesis". What a big shame, most definitely. However, if you can, try to get any of the band’s first 4 albums for your listening pleasure – basically up to their 4th album "Ordo Bellictum Satanas", and simply do yourself a big favor and forget everything else they may have recorded after that aforementioned album in question (and thank me later for doing so). SEMARGL: www.facebook.com/semargl.band, label: www.morehate.com

Luxi Lahtinen

Luxi Lahtinen

Related reviews / interviews:
SEMARGL - Manifest (Wes Rhodes)

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