Azarath - Infernal Blasting

AZARATH - Infernal Blasting (PAGAN Records - CD 2003)

They couldn’t choose a more fitting title, "Infernal Blasting" is the most appropriate name for this album. Azarath sounds like a bloodthirsty, unstoppable beast here, which released such a fury that it can only lead to massacre and chaos. This is Azarath's second album, released back in 2003 by Pagan Records, and I think that not only it sounds much better than the already solid debut album "Demon Seed", but it turned into one of the best Polish death metal albums, which influenced a whole bunch of other Polish bands (Hetzer, etc). 

From start to finish, "Infernal Blasting" is a vicious, brutal death metal offering, which hardly knows the meaning of the word "mercy". Intense, powerful riffage, insanely fast drumming of Inferno, bestial screams of Bruno... This album has everything. Stylistically it's a bit close to Damnation (which is an obvious comparison, due to some line up connections), but Azarath is even faster and more insane and chaotic than Damnation. You could also mention (old) Deicide, Vital Remains, Krisiun, Centurian... This sort of incredibly satanic, violently sounding death metal acts. In "Infernal Blasting" there's absolutely no sign of nice sounding music, not a second of melodic accents nor anything what could be called "catchy" or "memorable". This stuff is just as ugly and chaotic as it can get. But this energy and incredible intensity is a great strength of Azarath. Since "Infernal Blasting" is closed within 30 minutes only, you won't feel that it can sound one dimensional, as it's too short for that. Songs are rather short, only a couple of them are longer than three minutes – what also helps to capture that straight forward and relentless energy with obscure, evil atmosphere. You may moan that some riffs are unreadable - but come on, this is harsh sounding, brutal death metal! If you want something nice in death metal, go and listen to fuckin Kata-wimps-klysm.  

Azarath is doing what they are best at - they perform "Infernal Blasting Death Metal". And damn, I am infected with it 100%. Of course, it's not an album, which you can listen to for a whole day, but it you feel pissed off and want something to free this aggression, then play Azarath.  

Standout tracks: don’t know 

Verdict: 70/100