Shadowfost - Essence//Mindscape

January 8, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Italian black metal band Shadowfost has released its first full-length, Essence//Mindscape. The most famous band in the Italian black metal arena I’m familiar with is Death SS, but that goes back a few years to the pre-Paul Chain era, which was, by all accounts, the last good Death SS era. Still, I’m more than happy to see if the paisans from the big boot can compete with the plethora of other black metal bands forging their way into the extreme music spectrum.

While sounding more “death” than “black” in certain areas, the music on the CD is surely dark and meant to inspire random acts of morose suffering. As with most BM albums today, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel or fall in the better-or-worse category as do a lot of its predecessors; it just is what it is. And what it is is a decent CD by a talented band. Aside from the gratuitous opening screams, growls, shrieks, etc. that open a couple of tracks, the music can be inspiring and enjoyable with good production and sonically-sound musicianship that doesn’t rely on the already-obsolete bad production for that primitive “kult” sound that does nothing but ruin otherwise good records. Remember fans, Venom had little money - not some precursor to a black metal musical device - so that terrible mixing was all they could afford. It was low funds! Bands these days have no cause to record such otherwise decent music using inferior devices. All it does is alienate the musicians from the fan bases. Shadowfost doesn’t do that here, sounding more in the way a late Emperor or Dissection sounded during their respective heydays. It’s not a Genesis-like production, but at least all instruments are heard and mixed accordingly so you can hear these guys actually know what they’re doing.

So as for the music…the music is good, interesting and not subject to fits of boredom or outside distractions. It’s an okay CD for a first effort, and hopefully with a little time the band’s arsenal of black/death metal will improve to even greater heights. Standouts include “Forget Not Forgive,” “Wrath of the Caged,” and “Sense of Life.” However, the whole disc is worth a listen if you like your metal black and your expectations reasonable. I certainly think Shadowfost can become a viable part of the Italian scene if they expand the formula that they already have into a larger vision. Right now they’re pretty good, but I think they can get even better by building on the foundation they have now, which is certainly worth a listen by all stretches. Not the best, not even close to bad - it’s a very good effort that can only improve if they’re so inclined.

Release Date: April 19th, 2009
Label: Excecution Kollective
Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Look Beyond The Cross (Intro)
2.  Deceiving Faith
3.  Wrath Of The Caged
4.  Sence Of Life
5.  Forget Not Forgive
6.  Fear Shaped World
7.  Huge Viewing Mind
8.  Souls In The Shadow

Total playing time: 35:00

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