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Stielas Storhett - Expulse review



Reviewer:
8.0

7 users:
8
Band: Stielas Storhett
Album: Expulse
Release date: September 2011


01. Dying Delirium
02. Buried By Storm And Eternal Darkness
03. All Paths Lead To Oblivion
04. Hush-A-Bye
05. Two Lifeless Months
06. Expulse
07. Angel Of Death

Code666 has proven its worth as a quality label with the amount of good releases that brought to the surface throughout the year so far. Having found shelter under the secure stare of the aforementioned camp, Stielas Storhett, a Russian one-man band, managed to release the second full-length to date, Expulse. The figure behind the band, Damien T.G., walks upon the thin red line between atmospheric and depressive black metal and the cover artwork possesses a disturbing/sickening edge, something that paces really well with the tormented female screams at the very beginning of the album. Don't take for granted though the atmospheric/depressive duality, it's not deeply rooted in standards and trademarks, you will witness quite an experimental vibe which holds some respect for the latest Shining releases.

The various faces of melancholy parade one after the other as Expulse unleashes its desolate melodies waiting for the right moment to catch you off guard so as to stab you in the back, only to watch the trail of blood you'll leave behind as you desperately seek for shelter. Everything is veiled under an overrunning sense of self-inflicted melody from the creative guitar core. Beautiful and intriguing acoustic passages lighten a glade of solace, but the melancholic melodies, chords and riffing that burst to emotionally charged solos cloak the stars in the open. It's not only about introvert moments though, you will witness a threatening aura from time to time that overburdens negatively the soundscape, poisoning with passion the remaining loving cells in your heart.

The production emphasizes on the guitars and compliments the album, depicting the music through a spectrum as warm as the blood running in your veins. One remarkable thing is the way it deals with the excavating screams. They boil in the background and emerge forward for some weird reason I don't have to explain. I shouldn't skip to mention the slight but outstanding saxophone appearances and the personal fact that the spoken word Russian parts evoke a creepy feeling.

Expulse may not appeal to you during the first listen, but it will definitely plant the ideal seeds to make you listen to it more and discover its real beauty. Enjoy; or not.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 8
Production: 9





Written on 03.09.2011 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind."


Comments

Comments: 3   Visited by: 112 users
04.09.2011 - 01:06
Fat & Sassy!

Fantastic review. Sounds really interesting. ;3
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04.09.2011 - 02:02
Mattybu

Ooooooh looks like we got a Slayer cover on there too!

joking aside, this sounds like an interesting way to get into a genre I'm not too familiar with...
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22.09.2011 - 00:00
Rating: 9
Crown A.

Code666 releases one more very-very good album this year. Very nice review.
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