Summon
Baptized By Fire
[Baphomet]
Ever since I grabbed Summon's first album and demo in 1997 I've been
eagerly waiting for the follow-up. Lineup changes (and even a short
break-up??) caused massive delays, but a searing performance at Metalfest a
couple of years ago kept the name alive, and now that the lineup has
stabilized (Xaphan and Necromodeus are still present, with new drummer
Astaroth and second guitarist Akharaku), they have come back with a
vengeance on their second CD, Baptized by Fire. In a way, this feels a bit
like a compilation, since only four new songs are present, with the rest of
the disc being newly recorded versions of songs from their demo and first
album. However, the new energy displayed and the constant high-quality of
song writing and playing keeps the album sounding cohesive. Needless to
say, this album rocks. Massively.
Summon's music is basically very speed-oriented thrashy black metal with more technical (almost death-metallish in places) riffing and very precise speed-thrash drumming. Three of the new songs (Sons of Wrath, Visions of Apocalyptic Grace, and Baptized by Fire) keep to that same style and are even more thrashy and fast, almost chaotic. All of the re-recorded tunes are their faster ones, and they've been sped-up and intensified as well... I think largely because of the new blood; the drumming of Astaroth is much more intense and precise than on the originals, and the harmonies and solos of new guitarist Akharaku really inject some more fire into the songs. However, though Summon is known as a fast, thrashy band, the high-point of this album is when they slow down for the eight-minute epic "Realm of No Return" (the fourth of the new songs, though it was recorded several months before the rest of the album and with the old drummer Amduscius). It starts with a great melodic solo (Akharaku again) over a sinister clean guitar part, then trudges into a doomily evil main riff. There is some sparse synth bits added in one of the later sections of the song, but it only adds to the sinister atmosphere - this song is a damn classic.
Production isn't as clean as on their debut; in fact, it sounds like they turned everything up just to the point of overdriving the mics, but this 'red-lining' effect just makes the music sound that much more out-of-control. The packaging is also well-done and suitably satanic. Bottom line - a great damn album, and a finger in the air to anyone who says there is no good American black metal. Hail Satan.
© 2000 lord vic
Summon's music is basically very speed-oriented thrashy black metal with more technical (almost death-metallish in places) riffing and very precise speed-thrash drumming. Three of the new songs (Sons of Wrath, Visions of Apocalyptic Grace, and Baptized by Fire) keep to that same style and are even more thrashy and fast, almost chaotic. All of the re-recorded tunes are their faster ones, and they've been sped-up and intensified as well... I think largely because of the new blood; the drumming of Astaroth is much more intense and precise than on the originals, and the harmonies and solos of new guitarist Akharaku really inject some more fire into the songs. However, though Summon is known as a fast, thrashy band, the high-point of this album is when they slow down for the eight-minute epic "Realm of No Return" (the fourth of the new songs, though it was recorded several months before the rest of the album and with the old drummer Amduscius). It starts with a great melodic solo (Akharaku again) over a sinister clean guitar part, then trudges into a doomily evil main riff. There is some sparse synth bits added in one of the later sections of the song, but it only adds to the sinister atmosphere - this song is a damn classic.
Production isn't as clean as on their debut; in fact, it sounds like they turned everything up just to the point of overdriving the mics, but this 'red-lining' effect just makes the music sound that much more out-of-control. The packaging is also well-done and suitably satanic. Bottom line - a great damn album, and a finger in the air to anyone who says there is no good American black metal. Hail Satan.
© 2000 lord vic