Diabolical Summoning is the second full-length effort from the Netherlands-based Sinister. Easily one of the most anticipated follow-up Death Metal releases of it's time when going up against commercially successful giants like Cannibal Corpse. Introducing to the seething Death Metal masses a nice mixture of blasting Death Metal that was a little too random at sequential, their debut Cross the Styx release did really mark an impressive debut for the group. However, it was Diabolical Summoning that easily cemented the group's sound and popularity thanks to the group's maturing and growing song writing skills to not only increase the intensity, but put those blast beats into perspective.
While still retaining some of the band's groovier Death Metal sound, for the most part the concentrated on creating solid, pounding, intimidating Death Metal on this release, holding nothing back from trying to sound as menacing as possible. One listen to Diabolical Summoning, and it's pretty clear that they hit the nail on the head with their efforts. Some tracks hold back ont he groovey moments of their material, such as with the intense title track "Diabolical Summoning" which casts an evil and burdening atmosphere to the song while keeping some Lovecraftian themes into the occult-like lyrics.=, all working perfectly to create a brutal-sounding track. However, "Sadistic Intent" kick starts the release, and shows that the group is far from done with incorporating some catchy riffs that also boast some more technicality to them this time around. This track also manages to create a heavy, burdening atmosphere, but not quite in the same sense as the more abrupt and brutal tracks like "Diabolical Summoning", taking a slower pace that gives a hopeless sensation to the music before crashing into a desperate atmosphere at the end with crashing drums and intensity from the guitars that build up speed and fury from the group.
There's more to this release then just brutalizing music, and songs that have a punishing yet groovey element to them. Each track on here will have your head banging, even if you don't want it to, but one of the most impressive tracks will have you pounding your fists in the air as well. "Sense of Demise" is one of the more impressive tracks on here, starting out with an infectious marching vibe, shifting to carrying the brutal, pounding Death Metal "Diabolical Summoning" started, then into an agonizing slow, almost Doom Metal-like section that brings the burdening vibe of these songs to a whole other level. The song manages to shift nicely between various speeds and elements, shifting between brutal and catchy grooves, all of which feel like they are suffocating you by wrapping their methaphorical hands around your throat and commanding you through the punishing music and gutteral vocals that demand your respect. The only problem with this song is that it just seems to just be stopped by the band without a genuine ending to the aurdible assault they started.
The vocals really just make this album sound so much more intimidating at the end. While the music is often furious, punishing, and all around menacing, the vocals command the listener to their knees essentially. While much of the performances on this release are about the same, utilizing a nicely ranged gutteral vocal style, it's the track "Leviathan" where they stand out more, especially on the first listen if you're not expecting it. As the track progresses, the vocals eventually go through not both speakers at once like the listener would expect, but actually will appear through the left speaker, and sound clearer compared to the traditional approach of going through both speakers. If you don't expect this, it'll easily startle you, making you think that might actually be something talking to you in a sinister voice off to your left. They go to the right before returning to normal, but by then you expect it, but it's still just as sinister as the first time. This also happened two more times before the song ends, and it just really sounds great and different, especially when coupled with the faster paced music that accompanies them, becoming more brutal and commanding. This also appears again on the following track, "Desecrated Flesh", but with that it's mostly an effect against a groove heavy Death Metal song that doesn't quite hold the same brutalizing atmosphere as many other songs, but catchy enough to have your head banging without control.
There's nothing bad to be said about this recording. The music is simply brutalizing, intense, and feels like the band is often slamming your skull into the wall with their ferocity. The only negative element would be "Desecrated Flesh" really, as the song just doesn't have that same level of intensity the rest of the album does. Each track on here manages to hold it's own, and the music feels much more fluid compared to the band's debut. Each song on here really hammers away with intensity and well executed transitions between groovey and punishing Death Metal styles, as well as varying speeds. The only aspect that feels a little out of place is the spoken word section of "Tribes of the Moon". This more altered gutteral spoken word introduction doesn't hurt the song by any means, but it just does feels like it doesn't quite work in a natural vibe. Had the effects used on the voice not been executed, being a traditional gutteral sound, it would have fit in more, but in the end it just feels like it's too computerized to fit the more raw and aggressive nature of the album.
| 2011 Reissue (Altered Since Birth box set) |
Diabolical Summoning is the third CD included in the Sinister box set Altered Since Birth (1990-2010). This release features the same elements, a typical thick cardboard digipack case without a booklet with the notes for that album included in the additional 96-page booklet of the box set. The album has also been remastered in twenty four bit digital, and it sounds fantastic. Whereas the original version didn't have that raw a production quality for it's time, this one really makes the music sound much crisper, and it just makes the album sound so much more intimidating in the long run. The guitars sound razor sharp and really feel like they are hammering into the listener, and the vocals sound clearer, though still retaining a really intimidating bite to them, making this recording a lot stronger then the original pressing, and actually makes it a little more intense to the point where the listener's blood will boil more then the original pressing would have it.
This edition only features one bonus track though, which again is another live recording for the song "Sadistic Intent". It sounds like the bonus tracks that accompnied the Cross the Styx 2011 reissue, perhaps from the same concert. The songs are raw, not really being from the sound board obviously, and show the band at their best live. The music is a little more forward and clearer in the production, but clearly in no way edited in the studio, or like mentioned earlier, not taken from the sound board. The vocals are also back in the mix moreso, and the echo effect used does add a nice touch to the gutteral performance that sounds spot on without any problems whatsoever, such as exhaustion from a long set or anything like that. This is a fantastic live recording of the song, and also just a nice additional piece to a great reissue in the first place. It's sad that there are no other accompanying bonus tracks, but one is a hell of a lot better then none in any way you look at it.
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When it comes to sick Death Metal, Sinister is a name you can trust, and Diabolic Summoning is no exception to that. The album is full of fury, some technicality, some groove, and shows all the musical ideas and abilities the band brings to the table in a fluid manner that just feels right. The band lashes out at the listener, grabbing them by the throat and commanding their attention with music that will cause involvuntary headbanging. This is a perfect example of early nineties Death Metal, and all in all, this is a fantastic album that solidies the band's sound. With only one song that feels weak, but still far from bad, Diabolical Summoning by Sinister stands as a testament to all that is right in the Death Metal world. Of course, if you have a choice, the 2011 reissue of this album is simply a must for it's clearer sound that greatly enhances the aggression of the music, so if you have the chance to grab it from the Altered Since Birth box set, or even just a chance to buy that box set specifically for this album, it's well worth the effort to add it to your collection.
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