SCARIOT
I only needed to hear a short snippet of a sample from SCARIOT to spark my interest. The band were gracious enough to provide me with what has to be one of the most impressively recorded and packaged albums I've run across in years. This is top-notch production work in all aspects and I can only wonder after hearing this album how this Norwegian Death Metal act are not signed to a major deal. Calling all labels: SCARIOT are a gem of a find!Tongueless God is unquestionably a fantastic catch of a disc. The band play a fueled, energetic hybrid of melodic and brutal Death Metal you'd expect to hear out of Sweden, Denmark or Holland. However, the reign of Black Metal trash that has held Norway back all these years is now starting to lose it's grip and the truly talented acts are starting to emerge. SCARIOT are amongst them and on Tongueless God they prove their worth. While I suppose I could compare them to a variety of Death Metal bands, I hear enough nuance to allow me to rate them on their own terms. Firstly, great credit is owed to the band for really putting the time and effort into devising a killer sound and creating a well balanced recording. The excellent production accents the superb songwriting. Though perhaps this isn't something totally out of the ordinary, SCARIOT play with the utmost conviction, some hefty and dense Death Metal with subtle melodies and hooks a-plenty! The lead guitar work on this album is absolutely stellar as well. Expect too, the staple of terrific double bass drumming that now has come to be an expected facet of all new releases. The band are masterful at layering as well, with acoustics and keyboards providing a well of depth and scope.
SCARIOT, to their credit, don't follow every Death Metal trend. Their efficiency is put toward creating alternating styles and meshing them into a cohesive framework of scalding riffs and memorable keyboard breaks. Accessibly rocking, melodic, yet sinister infusions are the underlying theme that makes this album so successful. I often talk about stylistic balance in music, where various facets of opposing styles find a harmonious mutuality. On Tongueless God, this is found often, from the evil Death Metal of "Death Request" to the rolling shades of Heavy Metal bliss on the title track and the unflinching catchiness of "Closing The Gates". The band don't need to utilize three or four vocal styles to do this either. The album's voices are those from the underworld consistently throughout but are by and large, almost entirely intelligible. All these elements are put together and graced with a strong production, making SCARIOT a name you better recognize and remember.
Distribution for Tongueless God is shamefully inadequate. The masses need to experience what this band has to offer the Metal community. Therefore, I ask that you visit the band's homepage and drop them a line. Tell 'em The End Times sent you and once you get your mitts on this album, play loud and often. Touché!
