Crystalium – De Aeternitate Commando
I definitely wanted to hate this disc from its opening moments. As soon as track 1 (La valeur de la haine) hit, my eyes rolled back and I cringed. Another band who are trying to fill Dissections temporarily imprisoned shoes? So it would seem. But there’s one thing this band has that many of the lesser Swedish-style bands do not. It’s definitely not a decent drum sound (had to throw that in), but a solid songwriting chemistry. So while Crystalium may come across as the sum of their influences (Dissection, At the Gates, Naglfar, Marduk) they can still work in a very creepy atmosphere as evidenced on songs like “Au nom de la Rebellion”. Another strength for these guys is their ability to put together songs in excess of eight minutes while never really losing their momentum. Overall, this disc surprised me a bit, and I’d bet the farm that they could come out blasting with a highly creative follow-up LP. – Craig Schlanger
ADIPOCERE RECORDS
Worm Gear 