Tales Of Inevitable Death
Black Lion Records
Released October 31st, 2016
Tales Of Inevitable Death is the debut album from the Netherlands based Soulemission. The opening guitar work pulls you in on the 1st track, "Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes", with a hauntingly despairing, yet ominously heavy and melodic sensibility before the song goes full throttle into blast beat and fast riffing reminiscent of the classics of the Black Metal genre. While they may classify themselves or find themselves classified in the Black/Death or Blackened Death Metal genres, I would say that perhaps "Deathened Black Metal" may be a more fitting description. That is to say, that the band's sound is rooted heavily and leans more toward the Black Metal side of the equation at its core, but the Death Metal undertones are apparent, and blend together interestingly in moments of the assorted songs. The stand out tracks for me were "Luciferian Blood Orders", and "Seas Of Emptiness". The songs can seem deceptively repetitive at times, but if you give them time to develop as they play, you may find yourself surprised and unexpectedly thrown for a few curve balls as far as where they wind up going, and where the band is willing to go creatively. The band is most effective when they venture farther from conventions and the cliches of the genres. They're not afraid to venture into unfamiliarity territory or explore their creativity, but the music retains a sincerity to the genre while also pushing some boundaries and taking some chances. For a debut album, the songs are adventurous and certainly show an appreciation and proper respect for the genre and their predecessors, but they also try to take things a step further. To walk that line between the tried and true methods and techniques of the craft, and yet at the same time push things past the confines of conventional expectation is a testament to the band's willingness to show its influences while also forging an identity of their own. Vocally, sonically, and production wise, the songs are more reminiscent of Black Metal stylings. The guitar work as well, in the tone, and approach is surely grounded in Black Metal. There are plenty of blast beats and fast riffing, but there is a lot more going on and a depth to these songs beyond these aesthetics that, if given the time when you are listening, begin to show themselves and add to the mixture of elements that together winds up being Soulemission. "Seas Of Emptiness" takes a different approach vocally than the other songs, and probably shows the Death Metal aspect of the band's sound most as far as vocals go because it is almost reminiscent of a young Chris Reifert if he were in a Black Metal band as opposed to being in Autopsy. Still there is a slight familiarity to that style and yet enough other elements to make the approach uniquely its own as well. Overall, if you don't mind songs that twist and turn and take their time to unfold, or if you are looking for something that manages to uphold traditions while also pushing things into new territory and exploring, then you may want to check out Tales Of Inevitable Death by Soulemission. If the band can keep their integrity intact which they have so far on this album, and keep pushing their own boundaries at the same time, it will be interesting to see where they can go with it and where they will go sonically as they go forward. -Alan Lisanti
Track list:
1. Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes
2. March Against The Storm
3. Luciferian Blood Orders
4. Seas Of Emptiness
5. Where Fallen Angels Dare
6. Endless Grief
7. Perished Entity (Instrumental)
8. Glorification Of Elimination
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