It's pretty good so far. At the very least, it's quite entertaining.

I absolutely adore this album. Glad to see the band added here

Really starting to immensely respect and admire Infernal Vlad, seems he's gotten his music and the lyrical themes he explores pretty down to a science. This is definitely "his" sound.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 23.02.2015 at 04:07

Really starting to immensely respect and admire Infernal Vlad, seems he's gotten his music and the lyrical themes he explores pretty down to a science. This is definitely "his" sound.

Glad to see you promoting this album. It's breathtaking. I think I like it even more than the last Cult of Fire release.

Best thing of 2015 I've listened so far. Infernal Vlad has a really characteristic way of playing riffs. India one and the second part of Mexico are probably the highlights (China one ain't too shabby either !).

Written by flightoficarus on 23.02.2015 at 05:49

I think I like it even more than the last Cult of Fire release.

Is this similar to Cult of Fire? If not, to what is this similar?

Written by Erik M. on 21.03.2015 at 21:13

Is this similar to Cult of Fire? If not, to what is this similar?

Its made by two of the members of CoF.

So the same sense that Isengard is like Darkthrone

Written by [user id=126528] on 21.03.2015 at 21:36

Its made by two of the members of CoF.

So the same sense that Isengard is like Darkthrone

Ah I see. But then, I don't know Isengard at all. And I've only heard one or two albums by Darkthrone...

Will probably check this out seeing as I can easily listen to it on Bandcamp anyway.

Written by Erik M. on 21.03.2015 at 21:41

Ah I see. But then, I don't know Isengard at all. And I've only heard one or two albums by Darkthrone...

Will probably check this out seeing as I can easily listen to it on Bandcamp anyway.

There are shared elements between the two bands but Death Karma is all together a different beast, mainly because this is death metal instead of black metal. Still, if you like CoF, then it won't hurt to give it a shot.

Listened to it twice already but for some reason it isn't really clicking with me. Might give it another go soon...

Not a bad album, though I enjoy the concepts more than the music, since that uber-processed production drags it down.

From band's bandcamp:

Quote:

Slovakia - ancient burial customs of superstitious and deeply religious villagers still exist in certain areas till today.

Madagascar - dance with Death, in the name of Famadihana.

Mexico - the most famous dead town which once lived though death. Enter the mouth of the ChichenItza well - where people were buried in blood.

Czech Republic- 'Umrlčí prkna' provide a place for Death through the long and harsh winters, so the earth could accept the bodies in spring.

India - The Towers of Silence. Here one can feel and hear death the most.

China - Hanging coffins on high rocks so nobody disturbs the peace of the dead.

Written by [user id=101272] on 17.10.2015 at 23:30

Not a bad album, though I enjoy the concepts more than the music.

From band's bandcamp:

Quote:

Slovakia - ancient burial customs of superstitious and deeply religious villagers still exist in certain areas till today.

Madagascar - dance with Death, in the name of Famadihana.

Mexico - the most famous dead town which once lived though death. Enter the mouth of the ChichenItza well - where people were buried in blood.

Czech Republic- 'Umrlčí prkna' provide a place for Death through the long and harsh winters, so the earth could accept the bodies in spring.

India - The Towers of Silence. Here one can feel and hear death the most.

China - Hanging coffins on high rocks so nobody disturbs the peace of the dead.

And one of the many disappointing aspects of this album is how it failed to reflect musically those concepts.

Written by [user id=4365] on 17.10.2015 at 23:32

And one of the many disappointing aspects of this album is how it failed to reflect musically those concepts.

Exactly the issue I have as well. It looks like they did their research, but since there aren't even any officially published lyrics, it's hard to say, so I was hoping they would match it music-wise. Nope, sadly, this'll just be an okay-to-good black/death metal with the occasional oddity.

Of course, the members did the same thing on CoF with the whole Hindu theme being aesthetic as well. Man, talk about wasted opportunities.

Written by [user id=101272] on 17.10.2015 at 23:39

Exactly the issue I have as well. It looks like they did their research, but since there aren't even any officially published lyrics, it's hard to say, so I was hoping they would match it music-wise. Nope, sadly, this'll just be an okayish black/death metal with the occasional oddity.

Of course, the members did the same thing on CoF with the whole Hindu theme being aesthetic as well. Man, talk about wasted opportunities.

Yeah when I first saw the track titles I was expecting a cultural tour de force of instruments and styles from around the world. If Cult of Fire is anything to go by they could easily pull it off, too.

Written by [user id=4365] on 17.10.2015 at 23:45

Yeah when I first saw the track titles I was expecting a cultural tour de force of instruments and styles from around the world. If Cult of Fire is anything to go by they could easily pull it off, too.

Well, at least the riffs are good. That was a highlight.

Still haven't heard this, if I remember correctly, but the cover is one of the bests, ever.

Written by [user id=101272] on 17.10.2015 at 23:39

It looks like they did their research, but since there aren't even any officially published lyrics, it's hard to say.

Buy yourself the original CD and you will find those lyrics...together with the amazing artwork they did for the digipack.

Written by [user id=4365] on 17.10.2015 at 23:32

One of the many disappointing aspects of this album is how it failed to reflect musically those concepts.

Can you really say that for certain if you haven't seen any of the lyrics? Also, as far as the "musically" aspect is concerned, what were these guys supposed to do, grab native stringed and percussive instruments from each country and incorporate them into the composition for each track? Also, even if they had done that, that quite likely would've led to each track having a different tone and compositional structure from the others, and then people would be complaining about how the album doesn't flow, it's not coherent, etc. People and their expectations...

Written by Auntie Sahar on 14.01.2016 at 17:40

Can you really say that for certain if you haven't seen any of the lyrics? Also, as far as the "musically" aspect is concerned, what were these guys supposed to do, grab native stringed and percussive instruments from each country and incorporate them into the composition for each track? Also, even if they had done that, that quite likely would've led to each track having a different tone and compositional structure from the others, and then people would be complaining about how the album doesn't flow, it's not coherent, etc. People and their expectations...

Honesty couldn't give a rat's tits about the lyrics! I said musically, not lyrically after all. I think any talented group could splice a number of worldly influences whilst keeping it coherent. I'm not talking about wild shifts in tone, just nuances and light elements here and there; something that actually bears up to the song titles. Talking about how people would complain otherwise is a slippery slope fallacy, not least because that scenario has not yet occurred. As far as I'm concerned they misrepresented themselves here a bit.

Written by [user id=4365] on 17.10.2015 at 23:32

One of the many disappointing aspects of this album is how it failed to reflect musically those concepts.

But then again it has members of Cult Of Fire, which supposedly should play Indian influenced black metal yet they play... black metal.
So it's not something to be surprised. :3

Written by Karlabos on 14.01.2016 at 19:22

But then again it has members of Cult Of Fire, which supposedly should play Indian influenced black metal yet they play... black metal.
So it's not something to be surprised. :3

Well the last album had inflections here and there, which while not being huge amounts definitely gave an accent to the album. Not much to ask for =3

Written by [user id=4365] on 14.01.2016 at 19:09
Talking about how people would complain otherwise is a slippery slope fallacy, not least because that scenario has not yet occurred.

There's no need to go on with the logical fallacy talk, it was simply my way of saying that whether a band employs formula X or formula Y, there will always be a group of people disappointed with it (i.e. "you can't please everyone"), and I'm more than positive that you're intelligent enough to translate it as such.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 14.01.2016 at 19:47

There's no need to go on with the logical fallacy talk, it was simply my way of saying that whether a band employs formula X or formula Y, there will always be a group of people disappointed with it (i.e. "you can't please everyone"), and I'm more than positive that you're intelligent enough to translate it as such.

And if my grandmother had wheels she'd be a bicycle That's really not much of a point to make: if band does something different some imaginary people might not like it. I don't see what that has to do with the fact that musically this doesn't reflect the titles in any discernible way.

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.01.2016 at 16:53

And if my grandmother had wheels she'd be a bicycle That's really not much of a point to make: if band does something different some imaginary people might not like it. I don't see what that has to do with the fact that musically this doesn't reflect the titles in any discernible way.

I should just let you know: one of my biggest pet peeves is when people don't pay attention to the heart of what you're trying to say because "oooh, X fallacy, Y fallacy, and Z fallacy." It comes off as nothing but arrogant and most of all rude because comments that otherwise could have had some substance and value taken away from them are just dismissed altogether by Mr. Smug Logician because they don't uphold his pretentious standards for conducting an argument. You do this to people at a pretty regular pace on this site, and to be quite honest it really just comes across as nothing more than flamboyant dick waving.

Now that we've got that out of the way.... why does it have to have anything to do with "the fact that musically this doesn't reflect the titles in any discernible way"? That's not really what I was discussing, I was saying that A. expectations for it to do so are a bit unrealistic and that B. even if it did, there'd still be some faults that some people would probably find with the album, for it's impossible for any artist to please all people with their work. Sorry if that's an illegal point to make because it creates an imaginary scenario that hasn't yet happened yet, but, putting this in the nicest way possible: I really don't give a shit.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 15.01.2016 at 23:38

I should just let you know: one of my biggest pet peeves is when people don't pay attention to the heart of what you're trying to say because "oooh, X fallacy, Y fallacy, and Z fallacy." It comes off as nothing but arrogant and most of all rude because comments that otherwise could have had some substance and value taken away from them are just dismissed altogether by Mr. Smug Logician because they don't uphold his pretentious standards for conducting an argument. You do this to people at a pretty regular pace on this site, and to be quite honest it really just comes across as nothing more than flamboyant dick waving.

Sorry, but your points were devoid of substance without my input. If you don't want people to point out your fallacious arguments then stop making weak, logically flawed arguments in the first place. Whether you find it rude is entirely your problem, and If you acquitted yourself better here then maybe you wouldn't have turned this into another melodramatic, bleeding-heart episode of What Che Thinks. The fact you so rapidly collapsed into a collection of ad hominems suggests to me you still don't have the emotional maturity to conduct yourself in a reasonable debate. Next time maybe just don't bother, for all our sakes and spare us diatribes like this. In the mean time I think I'll carry on doing what I'm doing. If I have to step on a few toes, sensitive or otherwise, to get a half decent point out of someone then I will. I'm not going to emotionally coddle you. Grow up.

Quote:
Now that we've got that out of the way.... why does it have to have anything to do with "the fact that musically this doesn't reflect the titles in any discernible way"? That's not really what I was discussing, I was saying that A. expectations for it to do so are a bit unrealistic and that B. even if it did, there'd still be some faults that some people would probably find with the album, for it's impossible for any artist to please all people with their work. Sorry if that's an illegal point to make because it creates an imaginary scenario that hasn't yet happened yet, but, putting this in the nicest way possible: I really don't give a shit.

It's not an illegal point, just not one that addresses my personal issue with this record in any vaguely sufficient manner. I'm glad you think it's an interesting point to make, but to suddenly jump to an erroneous conclusion, that anything the band tried would be incoherent, lacking flow etc, and then go on to blame the general populace, with a somewhat insulting comment about "people and their expectation," shows a lack of engagement. You've totally circumvented the artist here, and placed the blame entirely on a (fantasy) audience with their supposedly bloated expectations. Seriously, read back your initial point. Not only did you blame the imaginary audience, you quite literally started complaining about the imaginary audience complaining about the imaginary result of this band including more influence, and in doing so lumped me in this group as well (perhaps unknowingly) as a way to refute my point. It's just about the lowest way to argue I can imagine. And you wonder why I took umbrage with it.

You've not addressed the fact that each song bears little to no musical resemblance to the suggestive song titles, and dismissed the possibility of them actually being able to do so with exaggerations. Once again I don't see what your idea that an artist will never be able to please everyone has to do with anything. It's circular rhetoric that could be used in just about any argument to support your case, but in reality means very little, so forgive me if I don't completely fall to my knees in agreement. This band could quite easily incorporate minor elements into their songs without fracturing their demographic into multiple warring factions. There is more than enough creative headroom here to give songs much more personality. That's what I think, that's why I find this album underwhelming. I don't think my expectations, given what is quite clearly suggested, is especially outrageous. It's only "unrealistic" because of the boundaries you've placed on it.

The music itself is not much more than decent and the production takes it a whole point down for me. I don't really care if they are able to represent the lyrical themes in the music; it would be a nice touch if they could pull it off (and I think they could) but it wouldn't make a bad album good.

And that's my attempt to steer things back to topic.

There are tons of albums with specific themes that don't have any "musical reference" to such theme, so I don't see how it'd be a downer on this one.

It's enjoyable because it sounds like CoF, though the prod is way too loud. Also do get a mayan vibe during the first part of " Mexico - Chichén Itzá" (ethnic drums and overall strident sound) and the lyrics are sung in a few languages which is cool and make a great job in getting the reader interested.

Most bands don't preface every song with a country though, so I think there is a little expectation there, but it's more of an expectation here because this is the band that Cult of Fire comes from, who we know can, and do, mix slight foreign musical influence with ease and success. I'm not much of a "reader" as I'm not really interested in the lyrical component. I'd rather be told a story through music. As it stands it is quite a boring album, though I do think it could be improved with a few flourishes and accents. And a massive overhaul of the production of course.

I'm pretty sure I only found out about the CoF members in this band after listening to it for the first time, so I didn't have those expectations at all.

Written by [user id=4365] on 16.01.2016 at 13:34

Sorry, but your points were devoid of substance without my input.

I'm just gonna let this quote sit right here.