PESSIMIST - "BLOOD FOR THE GODS"
(Lost Disciple Records)

Hello. Are you in a metal band? Do you remember back in the day when clean, tight and strong musicianship was a priority before recording an album? When not only knowing the notes for something was important, but how you physically played them? Tight rhythm players were the most important piece of any metal band, but often taken for granted? Your guitar sound and everything had to be YOUR sound and that's what made you stand out from the rest? (Let's not even begin with this "raw black metal" argument, you try and record an album on a 4-track and see if you can match the clarity of "Panzerfaust"...those guys know exactly what they're doing. Bathory was raw but could play circles around your retarded band, so fuck off). I know it's just going to get worse and worse, but thankfully there are still some people who remember all these concepts (and more) and succeed in upholding them, like Pessimist. (Actually, I make an exception to this and that's MUTIILATION, I don't care if they don't tune their guitars before recording, they are still fucking amazing). First of all, not only has Pessimist written another slew of dark, destructive death metal, they have delivered it with one of the best and most definitive productions I've come across. Everything on this album sounds perfect, nothing can be missed while listening, which is all the better since Pessimist play their instruments with extreme precision. The guitars were recorded flawlessly so that *all* you get is tone, no air between you and their sound. It almost sounds direct (like new Ddheimsgard), yet still very clear and thick, positioned perfectly so you immediately feel and move with the music. Drums cleanly cut through the middle with the help of a tight, full snare and a genuinely good use of thick bass triggers. Violent, high vocals and guttural lows vomit lots of bent up anger back at their (christian) foes, and bass pulsates underneath it all, making this a professional, unique wall of sound that compels you to listen just for the production alone! Keep listening and you will hopefully enjoy the music as well (like I am). Continuing with their no mercy brand of hateful death metal, Pessimist builds on the groundwork of their first album, a mix of pissed off, heavy and melodic stop and go action, this time making every song stronger and tighter, full of interesting beats and coming across with a sound they deserve. It's also nice to see lead guitar work again from people who know what they're doing. Simple or technical, Pessimist pull off everything with utmost tightness and clarity. I find some parts on this album terribly interesting, such as the sickened attitude stringbends that begin "Psychological Autopsy", the brief flanger on the drums in "Unspeakable Terror" and the breakdown halfway into "Whore of the Undead", whereas some parts, although invoking feeling, I've heard before and could live without (chorus riff on "Tunnel Rats"). My favorite on the album is the closing track, "Wretched of the Earth". A more melodic, sorrowful track, it moves in a different direction than the rest of the album...perhaps an indication of what's yet to come? Recommended for fans of Immolation, Incantation and other dark death metal with a technical touch.

Abbas Jaffary