XUL - Malignance
November 18, 2015, 8 years ago
(Redefining Darkness)
This BC-based death metal crew are currently getting their second full-length together, but in the meantime, here's a reissue of their first, which originally dropped in 2012. Tempting to call them “technical death,” but that's selling this mature band's sound short: more along the lines of a blackened death with overtones of triumph and majesty, Xul bring to mind Behemoth at their best, the band unafraid to take things down to a slower crawl when needed, as on the excellent “Porta Noctis”, which shows all elements of this band's sound nicely.
Really, there's nothing tech about this, but you just keep thinking there is, because the band is clearly so adept at their instruments. But they never pound it over your head, instead pounding you over the head with the relentless barrage of intensity that well-crafted death metal has to offer. Some classy guitar solos are even on offer here, like on “Vengeance”, which seriously must have the best DM guitar solo I've heard all year. I don't like the addition of keys, as on “Winter's Reign”, when things suddenly turn into a Blind Guardian B-side; much power is lost when that instrument rears it head (here, but, yeah, in general). Still, extremely solid stuff from these Canucks; looking forward to seeing what album number two has in store.