2007
Artist: Discern
Record: Revive and Rebuke
Label: Independent
Wiki: may the force be with yo
I had the pleasure of interviewing this man earlier on and I thought it was about due time I put in the time to actually listen and review his album. Me being cut from the cloth of Death Metal, I know what I like when it comes to the sound and my pedigree is rather mired and maybe a little off kilt, by most people’s standards. With that in mind, I really had no expectations coming into this listen.
My first impression upon hearing it, is nothing short of thrown far aback in consideration of the production and sound. See something that is very obvious and rather problematic about death metal is that a lot of it is very easy to get lost in a sea of other bands. But this particular disc has a very dignified way about it, and rather if I might say defined tone and style. Its hard to exactly compare this to other secular or Christian death metal, because to be honest nothing is really coming to mind.
I like it! I don’t think he necessarily tried to style himself after anybody else or ride off the sound or coattails of any other band. He invested himself into his guitar and drumming and made a unique and bombastic arsenal of unrelenting death metal music.
I really love the style of the vocals in both the low gutturals and his snarls and screams and higher pitched vocal abilities. He addresses a broad range, and does it very well! and an applause to himself for having a unique voice in a genre that a lot mock as “cookie monster” vocals, Ive heard it to high heaven and I do just have to nod and change the subject. I do genuinely enjoy and like death metal growls and guttural vocals and different kinds of ranges and things people can do with their vocal chords this is no different.
The production and music here is really great, I am not sure if he mastered and recorded this himself in a home studio or paid a place to do it, but the sound and tonality is very good and noticeable. Every drum beat, guitar riff, bass lick and vocal frequency is all equated and called for.
The lyrics and the message of the music goes around a lot of different topics namely rebuking and not tolerating condemnation, love, religion and human nature and failing. Ultimately its a dish of words to both encourage and enlighten a person. Often the kilt of death metal is the opposite, it is meant to arouse self hate and nihilism, this is much the opposite. I would hope anyone listening to this disc would find and be encouraged by Christ and Christianity and to seek scriptures.
There are plenty of off moments where he really goes into some spontaneous playing and he has fun with it. He gets downright bluesy and funky on this disc…. and I love it! Its a great mix of death metal and some very minimal experimentation. And it does have a couple instrumentals throughout the disc as well. All in all a great listen, and a new personal favorite of mine. And one I will put as a stamp of approval under my new transition into reviewing more if not all Christian music from now on.
If you want support this band or his help his ministry please check out the following…
https://www.facebook.com/discerndeathmetal
