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Links: - Band Logo - Google Video Search - Official Myspace - Official Website - Prosthetic Records Review information: - Release length: 37:35 - Review posted on April 12th, 2010 |
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Review
In the wake of the fallout related to members of Black Metal act Gorgoroth comes a new Black Metal act featuring vocalist Shagrath (of Dimmu Borgir fame) and bassist King (of Gorgoroth fame). This band finds these two playing the music they love best, with studio help from their friends Teloch, Ice Dale, and Frost. The Underworld Regime was a highly anticipated album, a release by what could only be called a "superground". However, to much dismay, this album doesn't really deliver on what the fans expected. The Underworld Regime is not necessarily a bad album, it's just that it's been done to death already. Considering the band member's backgrounds, you would expected a little more then just traditional Black Metal played at a mid- to slow-tempo pace with what can only be described as a rather unenthusiastic vocal performance. "Ghosting" is perhaps the first, and really the only track that finds any real effort vocally, and the following track "Acts of Sin" is the only time the music will come at you in a blistering pace and make you want to bang your head, even though the guitars sound a bit hollow, leaving the impressive guitar work to sound a bit too bland and open. Basically, what we have here is toned down Dimmu Borgir, a release that lacks any form of blast beat, any form of industrial elements, and anything new, fresh or original, with exception of "Acts of Sin", as well as the faster starting track "Devil's Harlot" which is perhaps the best track off the entire release. It seems as if Ov Hell came together and decided to put together a straight, solid Black Metal album, but keep every impressive aspect of their careers out of the mix to create a very bland album that rides solely on the band member's history and fame, and the "kvlt" Black Metal kiddies who go to Hot Topic and think bands like Napalm Death are unoriginal compared to the likes of Born Of Osiris. In this effort, the album does it's job well, as well as cater to the undying Black Metal die hard legions that exist today. While the overall feel of the album runs between moderately entertaining to pathetically drull, the devout fans of the style will probably eat it up regardless because of all the underlying factors that are at play behind all the negative factors at work. There's no denying that The Underworld Regime is a true Black Metal album, and has some solid guitar riffs and lyrics that will have any fan of the style performing alongside Shagrath. The underlying problem with the release seems to be the rather clear, yet hollow production quality. On the faster songs there seems to be no real problem, the tenacity of the music on "Devil's Harlot" gives off a promising vibe to the album with guitars that sound solid thanks to the pace they are being played. But, aside that and the aforementions "Acts of Sin", there's nothing else of interest to the album, really, just some mediocre guitar riffs and drumming toppled by a crystal clear production value and a decent (to say the least) vocal performance that will leave you hitting replay on a few select songs to get more enjoyment out of this disc past that first listen. |
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