Firstly, we must don't confuse them with the well known death metal band… This Purgatory is a black metal band from mainland China (from the Yunnan province). It seems that the chinese metal is enough big since a longue time, but that there bands had never out from the country. But now, the chinese lable Mort Records want the change this ; already, at least 3 chinese black metal bands was out on this lable : Yiduan, Martyrdom and Purgatory.

Purgatory mostly play a black metal in the sud-east asian vein, but with some european elements. The vocal, particularly, sound asiatic ; a very good black grind vocal, low and deep, a little bite ala Abhorer. By the way, all the lyrics are in chinese (what I personnally really like ; I've never understand why many underground bands prefer the english to there own maternal language ; specially want they claim to be NSBM…). Musicaly, there is a little bite of all : so, the song "Dream Of Moribund" let me think to Blasphemy mixed with Vinterland ; "Judgement Of Doomsday" to Sarcophagus from time of "For We… Who Are Consumed By Darkness" ; when "Wither In Late Autumn" mosly sound like a mix of Christ Agony (from time of "Daemoonseth Act II") and of Evol ("The Saga of the Horned King"). In this way, it's quit hard to make a general review of this album. The style is generaly enough fat (ala Abhorer), but with some little melodies, and sometime, some keyboard (rarely used, and without excess). It's mosly dark.

The most negative part is the intros, that are sometime really too long needlessly.

This album is mostly for the fans of asian black metal, but the fans of black death metal will surly like it to (even if Purgatory don't play black death metal, but the guitar sometime sound enough like canadian death metal).

Dream of Moribund = 7.5/10

© 2003 trépas