MARTIRE / THRONEUM - United In Hell (Apocalyptor LP 2004)
This split 12” has been in my collection for
years, probably ever since it was released back in 2004 – as I used to buy all
the Throneum vinyls directly from Tom the Great Executor as soon as they only
have been unleashed and he always had some copies in his Time Before Time
distro. But to be honest I haven’t listened to “United in Hell” too much
through all these years. But not because I didn’t like the music, but just
because for few years I lived in UK and the LP stayed at my parents’ house in
Poland, and then when I moved back to Poland and bought my own apartment it
kind of stayed buried somewhere under the pile of other LPs. So I think I only
listened to it two or three times back in 2004 and that’s it. Today I felt like
I wanna finally really listen to it carefully and so the time has come for
“United in Hell” to be exhumed and it is also a good opportunity to review it,
especially as I doubt there were many reviews of this album written and
published before. So, let’s start with…
Martire… I don’t have any other recordings of
this Australian death squadron, I only know them from this split 12”LP. What
these Oz maniacs offer here are songs from their split EP with Angel Corpse
plus their “Demo 1999”. In total we have six (six six) tracks from Martire… and
well, when hearing their music I must say that musically this band fits
Throneum just perfectly and the idea to join both bands on one release was like
hitting the jackpot. Martire is as obscure, morbid and evil sounding death
metal band as you can imagine, with raw, harsh production and just relentless
and violent sonic assault going through all their six songs. Their sound is so
thick and chaotic that it will certainly reject many people, but the real die
hard maniacs of the savage and evil death metal massacre in the vein of Angel
Corpse, Bestial Warlust and even Sarcofago will love it. Some riffs even may
remind you about the ancient and most evil incarnation of Morbid Angel, from
their demo days, especially in such songs as “Puritans”, so beware, as the
devastation is guaranteed. I can assure you that the intensity and sheer
violence of Martire music will smash you within the seconds. My complain may
come to slightly too chaotic and unreadable arrangements in few places, but it
is only a minor criticism, as overall I really like what Martire did here. “The
Heretic”, last song on their side of “United in Hell”, is the only slow tune
from them and also one, which I like most.
And Throneum… I know this band for so many
years already (ever since they were called Throne and had a debut cassette
released!). They are kind of “love it / hate it” band, as their violent and
chaotic sound will reject most people, especially as they never bothered to get
a crystal clean production or catchy choruses hehe. Many will say that Throneum
is just badly recorded, pointless noise and yeah, they are noisy and chaotic,
cacophonic and furious, and Tom screams like a possessed lunatic. But the music
of Throneum has its charm and great evil feeling, which I like a lot. Before
this split LP they did two excellent releases: “Bestial Antihuman Evil” and
“Mutiny of Death” and with them they just proved to be unique band, not only
here in Poland, but also in the worldwide underground, as no one else plays
like them. Seven songs from this split are not necessarily as good as the two
mentioned releases, but are decent anyway. The production is very raw here and
for sure it lacks a good mixing and mastering, as the guitars are quite tiny
and the snare drum sounds like from a rehearsal recording (more so, Marek loses
the tempo in the fast parts, what may annoy some of the more picky listeners).
But I don’t care, as first and foremost Throneum brings the sheer violence and
aggression in their music, which I value more than a plastic and sterile
production. The material, even if not as strong as some other Throneum
releases, still manages to crush my skull and with Terrorizer cover
(“Infestation”) for the end, it is just cool.
Standout tracks: “The Heretic” (from Martire)
and “(Nukkklear) Worship from Chaos” (from Throneum)
Final rate: 70/100
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