On time for Christmas 2005 Swiss label Schwarzmetall Musikproduktionen laid the debut album of the Slovakian Black metallers DEMONIC CHORALS on our present table. Since the CD would have been a bit too short as a gift with its 32 minutes running time spread on eight songs; it contains an additional bonus multimedia track, which shows the guys performing live in front of a spare crowd.
Musically, DEMONIC CHORALS are one of the many followers of Dark Funeral, and among those they are placed at the lower end of the scale. Except one slower instrumental track, the other seven songs are quite furious; especially drummer Asphyxiant puts a lot of pressure on the listener with his high speed drumming. Also his fellow musicians seem to be technically skilled; as well singer Damians work is not to fault.
Speaking about the negative aspects: listening to this “brutal Black Metal”, you will hardly find any variations regarding the song structures, only here and there some speed changes can be heard.
The second aspect to criticize is the really bad production. Either the band still thinks that you only can be “true” when you record without 95% of the technical options a studio provides, or this is just a matter of inexperience.
DEMONIC CHORALS in my opinion have left lots of room for improvement, although Black Metal purists will probably like this album. For anyone else this record might appear as an uninspired sound mash.
Anyhow, I think five points for Power Of Immortal Hatred is fair, although you get nothing groundbreaking, it’s at least well played.