Demonomancer

Artist: 
Album Title: 
Poisoner Of The New Black Age
Release Date: 
Friday, April 19, 2019
Review Type: 

I do not have the intention to go way too deep into this release’s core, but still I will write down some ideas and thoughts on it, because of 1) the label behind it and 2) the material itself. Let’s start with the label. Dunkelheit Produktionen is a label that I do follow as from 1867 or so. Okay, that’s somehow exaggerated, but this label never disappointed me in the past. They focus on blackened and deadly stuff especially, but with a very open-minded vision on the more extreme spheres of our sonic existence; they often widen their view, which results in the (re)release of somehow related yet distinctive material. Even Dungeon Synth, Dark Electro and Industrial pass by…

Then again, Demonomancer… With such moniker, I do not think you did expect some progressive Nu Metal group. Well, rejoice and dance around, because this project from El Salvador indeed does not bring some catchy or poppy kind of modernistic, popular Fun Metal at all. It actually is (or ‘was’) the brainchild of Julio Ardon, extremely active within the noisier Underground scene, and unfortunately gone to Heaven, Hell, wherever he wanted to stay after his physical earthly existence. Anyway, Poisoner Of The New Black Age is a compilation that sort of compiles the whole discography done before (material previously released as demonstrational recording or as part of split-EP’s) – but then I am talking about the period 2012 – 2016. This, because this compilation was initially released in 2017 via Metaltifus Productions (on tape only, if I am not mistaken). So, what Dunkelheit Produktionen actually are offering is a re-release of that compilation, this time via digital currents, as well as on compact disc (jewel case with eight-page booklet) and on vinyl (black, red and splatter edition) – 2-LP releases, because this story deals with no less than twenty-two elegies and lullabies, clocking almost one hour of ear-torturing satisfaction.

What you hear (in case you dare to listen to this stuff, of course) is a gore, bloodied, perverted and utterly filthy form of Black War Grind Death Punk Noise Metal (you thought this didn’t exist; well, now it does!), with singalongs based on the same elements: furious guitar shredding, molesting bass rape, thunderous drum violence and demonically possessed, beastly growls; nothing more, but certainly nothing less either! Actually, all pisses, sorry, all pieces are like pyroclastic outbursts, preaching misanthropy, blasphemy and agony, with meaningful and pregnant titles like Twisted Unholy God’s Rectum, Christ Mary Horny Stench, Invoking The Rectal Birth Of Christ, Degenerated Satan Semen or Christ Anal Insemination Ritual (twenty-two chansons are included, by the way). It’s a full-force battalion storming forward towards revenge, an unstoppable bulldozer smashing down from a monumental dam on your little toe (I can imagine this might hurt), an avalanche of pus, sperm, acid, blood, smegma and mucus.

The better part is based on low-tuned guitar riffing, rough-edged, wild, yet somehow melodious too, with many fine-tuned leads and bestial, ear-piercing solos. The drum-work is of the atrocious kind, rumbling, thundering, blasting without mercy, without peace, without any room for air-gasping. And then, that throat, those totally wretched vocal chords, like this guy’s lungs and stomach get puked out of his filthy mouth, creating a stench that works so addictively attractive in a most masochistic way.

It is fast, extremely fast, this whole compilation. Only once in a while, things sort of decelerate, but that does not last for longer than a couple of seconds. Instead, the tempo balances in between energetically up-tempo over raging speed-up to devastating grinding and ferocious lightning-fast. And it does sound primevally stripped of any modernistic cachet, primordially primitive if you want, reduced to the essence, rid itself of any progressive or newfangled fringe whatsoever. That surely goes for the sound quality as well, which lacks any influence of contemporary technical assistance. I am sure this will bother many amongst you, yet then again it sort of fits to the whole nasty and distorted experience.

Imagine an unholy bastard-child of Tetragrammacide, Conqueror, The Lord Diabolus / early Beherit, Enbilulugugal, Deiphago, Y’ha-Nthlei and Goatblood (the latter to remain in spheres of ewige Dunkelheit) and you might have a clue of what Demonomancer stood for.

 

https://dunkelheitprod.bandcamp.com/album/poisoner-of-the-new-black-age

https://www.dunkelheit-produktionen.de/presta/nl/dunkelheit-releases/4197-demonomancer-poisoner-of-the-new-black-age-logo-metalpin-poster-black-edition-svd-2lp-pre-order-1st-april-2020-dunkelheit-releas-0662425100101.html