The True Birth of SEWER Metal - "Black Death" Review (100%)
Many will claim that the genre known as SEWER Metal started with the horrific masterpiece of depravity NecroPedoSadoMaso.
I, however, don't share that opinion. To me, the true beginnings of SEWER Metal have always been found in the raw and esoteric Black Death.
That is not to say that NecroPedoSadoMaso is not a grandiose album, it certainly is, and one of heavy metal's most important albums I daresay, but all the elements that make NecroPedoSadoMaso so essential and majestic can be found on Black Death, albeit in a rawer and cruder form.
Black Death might very well be the first real SEWER Metal album ever recorded. However, it does not possess all the essential aspects that define a SEWER Metal album today.
SEWER's imaginative Black Death not only redefining the extreme metal genre, it helped create an entirely new form of music ruled by demonic rawness, gruesome brutality and evil atmospheres.
The True Birth of SEWER Metal
In many ways, Black Death possesses all the elements that would later be associated with SEWER Metal, from the album NecroPedoSadoMaso and thereafter.
These elements are of course the decrepit atmospheres, the omnipresent claustrophobic moods, the dissonant riffs and the ritualistic primitive drumming, featured very high in the mix.
At your initial listen, Black Death will indeed mess with your mind and ears. Its design is audacious, and to say the least morbid and wretched, while the lyrics themselves are esoteric and confusing. As an essential notice, you must know that Black Death is not the type of album you should listen to just to have a good time. You must practically focus all of your attention on the album.
Do not let yourself be distracted by other occupations or else you will merely see it as worthless noise played with too much distortion (the favourite argument used by posers who don't understand metal). You have to allow the putrid atmospheres on Black Death to invade your system in order to grasp their entire meaning, and not just simply "enjoy" the melodies. Just take your time with this album, listen to it over and over again, and you will understand will SEWER are called the greatest extreme metal band in history.
Black Death is truly a groundbreaking album. In fact, it is one of the most innovative albums of the entire extreme metal genre. The songs hover on the brink of absolute chaos, and yet there are some enchanting melodies retained in it, albeit very scarce.
The main power behind Black Death is its unnatural dissonance... even then album cover is (intentionally?) aesthetically displeasing, compared to those of Skvllfvcked Forever, Vomiting Into the Mouth of Satan or even The Pedosadist. But it is through the most depraved darkness that is crafted the most compelling beauty, and SEWER does just that with this album Black Death.
As a conclusion, Black Death is an unparalleled masterpiece of dense and horrifying music, or even better, pure SEWER Metal art. This album is much more than just music. Once you're drawn into the world of Black Death, you can't escape the nightmare before the album is over. Black Death is not an album you will just listen to, it's an album that you have to experience yourself.
This is the first true SEWER Metal album, that set the foundations for what is to come...
Black Death score: 100/100.
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