REVIEW: A Thousand Years Of Plagues – DÆmon [2013]

Band: A Thousand Years of Plagues

Album: DÆmon

Label: Spectral Blasphemy Records

Preview/buy: Bandcamp

Let me ask you a question: what is the most evil sounding music out there? What music genre motivates you to go on an all-destroying rampage? Depending on your preferences/mood your answer will probably be either technical death metal, hardcore or deathcore. There are lots of different bands out there that will feed your hunger for destruction, the biggest problem is that you have to choose. Luckily for you; with the new full length release of blackened technical deathcore band A Thousand Years of Plagues you won’t have to choose. The appropriately named DÆmon gives you all the evil atmosphere and soul crushing brutality you could possibly ask for. What grabbed my attention from the start is that DÆmon is as straightforward as it is diverse. Does that sound confusing? That’s because it is, every song has multiple thick layers of technical chaos, bouncing breakdowns, deliciously evil guitar solos and demonic vocals that overwhelm you, a lot of replays from the listener are required.

After you had some taste of what to expect with the intro track Exogenesis, DÆmon throws you straight in the center of a hate-filled furnace with its incomprehensible guitar sweeping and unrelenting complexity. Halfway through the second song you will be greeted by some very tasty high-pitched screeches; one of the strongest assets of this release. Not that the low growls are bad by any means, it’s just that these highs sound so..inhuman. You can feel the insanity and despair flowing out of your speakers with every word. DÆmon has a lot more in store for you than just an inferno of anger and technicality , a good thing because your mortal body can’t sustain this level of intense pressure for very long. Expect to hear a lot of altering guitar riffing and sweeping as well as some progressive elements to keep things fresh. The track Symphony of the Fallen grants you a moment of peace with soothing instrumentals; a feeling that is short-lived (as is usually the case with punishing albums such as this). Xenoglosia and my favorite song At the Gates pound your already bleeding ears with more intensifying assaults; manic drumming, earthquake-inducing breakdowns and lots and lots of mad guitar sweeping pulverize every inch of your being with relentless force. A Thousand Years of Plagues shows its mercy to the listener once again with another instrumental song. Rather than being peaceful, Eternal Eclipse gives you a feeling of unease, the underlying creepy atmosphere warns you for yet more brutality to come. The final songs show you less mercy than before, with only a short instrumental intro on The Ninth Circle. All the rest is a brilliant musical fuckfest showing off the album’s best elements, even the last song Self Collapse shows you no mercy, instead it implodes your eardrums with a lovely distorting breakdown.

The concept of DÆmon is not about cute puppies and rainbows, as you might have figured. The lyrics portray a great animosity towards God and humanity in general, not the most original concept to write about but it does an excellent job at giving this album that Satanic flavor that the band was going for. Most of the lyrics will undoubtedly give you a big evil grin on your face. You will need to know the actual lyrics for that to happen though, because with the eternal raging shitstorm of instrumentals it’s hard to decipher the vocalist’s demonic ranting (a very good reason to get the physical CD instead of the digital version). Lyrical wise DÆmon makes Thy Art is Murder’s Hate look like family friendly church music, bibles will instantly explode in the presence of this album.

Even the most controversial genres of music have a base of artists/albums everyone knows, artists that make solid music and (more or less) always deliver a good listening experience. The truly great releases however, are only reserved for those willing to dig deeper into the abysmal depths of those genres. Once you stumble upon the raging beast known as DÆmon, expect to be drowned in an ocean of technical, atmospherical and lyrical hatred. With just a few moments to catch your breath, DÆmon is nothing but pure anger at its core; die a thousand deaths and love every single one of them as this album drags you to the lowest circle of Hell itself with every listen.

Rating: 9/10

For fans of: Genocide of Prescription, Thy Art is Murder, And Hell Followed With, Out of Yesteryear