One Master – Demo 2004
Much like the band listed above, I’ve been sitting on this demo for 2 years now and One Master have since then moved on to self-release their full-length debut. If this 5-song demo is any indication, that should be another release that I need to inspect closer, for this blackened death metal quartet are quite proficient at creating layered and memorably destructive music. Vocally, I like the midrange and dirty delivery of guitarist Justin Conlon, but he often follows the guitar lines too closely with his vocal rhythms, which is common with singers that play guitar as well. It’s incredibly difficult to separate the hands from the words it seems. This is my only real bother with this release and it’s not really that much of a bother… just an observation, for the crusty tone of the guitars and the bands keen sense of writing hook bloated riffs full of movement and uniqueness as witnessed on the impressive opening track, “Journey to the Northern Lands” really gives them a sound all their own. The swirling sonics within their riff ideas and overall perplexing sound does point to some minor Morbid Angel appreciation, but the band kind of loses this spirit on the disjointed and 2 dimensional “Immortal Frost”, only to regain a bit of originality and a slight black metal influence on “Shadow of the Firehorse” with it’s clean guitar intro, synth accompaniment and eventual galloping 6/8 time signature. At the demo stage, sure One Master are not without their share of mistakes and occasional stylistic confusion, but I enjoyed this bands organic and crusty sound and overall songwriting style enough to know that they could only have improved before embarking on a full album worth of material that I’m looking forward to checking out. – Marty
ONE MASTER
http://www.one-master.net/
Worm Gear 