The winds of change are blowing, but in the opposite direction of Dark Entropy
You can usually liken revivalist bands to a few bands that they're definitely taking inspiration from. Suicidal Angels, as an example, sounds a lot like Slayer, while Trench Hell is more akin to early Celtic Frost. But with Dark Entropy there aren't any obvious inspirations, and as such their sound is more modern in tone, distancing themselves from the wave of retro-thrash that has been going on for a while.
Formed in 2008 in Chicago, Illinois, they take cues from thrash metal in its modern form as well as hinting once or twice to 90s groove metal with a few well-placed grooves. Now obviously difference doesn't equate excellence. Their 2011 demo, entitlted simply Demo (I wonder from where they source the amount of high-powered inspiration it must have taken to come up with that title), offers some fairly low-tempo thrash metal with mildly enjoyable, but highly mediocre, riffs reminiscent of Testament's sound in the 90s. By following the basics of How to Thrash for Dummies the band have mustered up some groove-laden and very predictable thrash in unchallenging structures.
As mentioned above being different isn't all it takes. Dark Entropy have a distinct sound, that's for sure, but it's mostly because of their awful vocalist. What was originally sounding like "just another thrash band" with ponderously chugging guitar leads ended up becoming more and more like "just another thrash band, but with terrible vocals". The singer sounds completely out of tune with the rest of the band. He seems capable of just yelling stuff in one pitch, but whenever compositions call for vocal melodies he falls short with a loud, obnoxious bang. Add to that the horrendously written lyrics and you've got yourself a downright bad demo. I would have preferred unintelligible, mindless screaming.
Formed in 2008 in Chicago, Illinois, they take cues from thrash metal in its modern form as well as hinting once or twice to 90s groove metal with a few well-placed grooves. Now obviously difference doesn't equate excellence. Their 2011 demo, entitlted simply Demo (I wonder from where they source the amount of high-powered inspiration it must have taken to come up with that title), offers some fairly low-tempo thrash metal with mildly enjoyable, but highly mediocre, riffs reminiscent of Testament's sound in the 90s. By following the basics of How to Thrash for Dummies the band have mustered up some groove-laden and very predictable thrash in unchallenging structures.
As mentioned above being different isn't all it takes. Dark Entropy have a distinct sound, that's for sure, but it's mostly because of their awful vocalist. What was originally sounding like "just another thrash band" with ponderously chugging guitar leads ended up becoming more and more like "just another thrash band, but with terrible vocals". The singer sounds completely out of tune with the rest of the band. He seems capable of just yelling stuff in one pitch, but whenever compositions call for vocal melodies he falls short with a loud, obnoxious bang. Add to that the horrendously written lyrics and you've got yourself a downright bad demo. I would have preferred unintelligible, mindless screaming.
"...listening to their 2011 demo certainly doesn't invoke the same feelings of envigoration and empowerment that Sepultura or Kreator did."
Although Dark Entropy is a band five man strong, it really doesn't show on the demo. Only rarely can you tell that there are actually two guitarists, and as such they never fully utilise the potential of having dual guitars. Instrumentally the quintet have a few moments through some fairly powerful parts in tracks like Sins of Our Fathers, but listening to their 2011 demo certainly doesn't invoke the same feelings of envigoration and empowerment that Sepultura or Kreator did.
4/10
Released in 2011 independently
Links
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What did you think of Dark Entropy's 2011 demo?
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What did you think of Dark Entropy's 2011 demo?
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