Paganizer / Grand Supreme Blood Court - Imperial Anthems vol XV

PAGANIZER / GRAND SUPREME BLOOD COURT - Imperial Anthems vol XV (CYCLONE EMPIRE - 7"EP)

Oh, here’s another part of the Imperial Anthems series of split 7”EPs that Cyclone Empire releases from time to time (part XV already!)! And it’s one, which I simply had to have, as there are two bands I am very interested in: Paganizer and Grand Supreme Blood Court. As for the first one, I’ve been familiar with them for years, ever since they putted out excellent “Murder Death Kill” album. Today my collection of Paganizer – and other Rogga’s projects – is hilariously huge. And as for GSBC; well, I do admit I missed their debut album. And I don’t know why! I mean, this band has everything what I like. There are guys from Asphyx in the line up and Asphyx is among my favourite death metal bands of all time. The line up has Eric Daniels, Bob Bagchus and Martin van Drunen! But I did not grab a copy of “Bow Down Before the Blood Court”. Well, one day I definitely will! Both bands present unreleased songs, so this EP is a nice gift for the maniacs I think!

Let’s start with Paganizer, whose latest recording “Cadaver Casket (On a Gurney to Hell)” was fuckin sweet! I must say that Paganizer became much more melodic than in the past, when they were either fuckin heavy and massive death metal in the vein of Grave or had a romance with grinding death metal, which to be honest was not so good haha as it turned into a bunch of mediocre death metal songs that Rogga was producing like crazy, with no much detail to the quality haha. Anyway, since a while Paganizer is back in good form, in my opinion and this new, unreleased song is a proof. But yes, it is more melodic than I would expect, almost leaning towards the fuckin Amon Amarth; band, which I don’t like at all haha. But it also reminds me Evocation and some of the last Dismember records, so in the end “The Aeon Machinery” is great. It’s melodic, groovy, aggressive, it’s classic Swedish death metal. Nothing more to say. Paganizer is awesome.

And meanwhile, GSBC presents one remaining song from the “Bow Down Before the Blood Court” session. And it’s easy to say it’s probably a leftover, but since I don’t know the album, then I cannot say if this song is better or worse from those on the LP. I am hit by traditional Dutch death metal and it’s obvious who stands behind the band, as the vocals and guitar parts are so damn characteristic! And “Welcome to the Sawmill” is a killer song, no doubt. I like it even more than Paganizer’s as it’s so damn heavy, so fuckin juicy, brutal and crushing! It’s filled with anger and fury, and van Drunen just sounds like a pissed motherfucker again. Yeah, definitely I need to grab a copy of their album also, even if there’s that great Asphyx shadow all over it. Oh, some bad news also came lately, as Daniels and Bagchus have left GSBC to focus on Soulburn, and it may actually be the end of this band.

Anyway, this is a very good split EP and I surely could say that along with Interment / Tormented split, this is my favourite part of the Imperial Anthems so far.

Final rate: 80/100