The Shepherd of Tophet

Queiron are a Brazilian death metal outfit that has been performing their particularly brutal, relentless style of blast beat-driven death metal for almost 20 years. Just from reading that sentence, most metalheads will probably already be able to tell that the band sounds like their countrymates (and far more successful - or better, if you want to go there) Krisiun, and most metalheads would be right in that assumption. Like Krisiun, the band puts a lot of emphasis on relentless blasting and extremity, though I would argue that while Krisiun's riffs were are centered around thrash metal and old(er) school death metal, Queiron takes a more "epic", middle-Eastern influenced approach that lends itself towards the likes of Nile and Behemoth as well, and are arguably much flashier and more technical. While the band itself holds a lot of comparisons to Krisiun, just in the presentation of the whole thing - a closer look will show that both bands have pretty different riff styles.

The biggest thing that holds back "The Shepard of Tophet" is the lo-fi production. Everything sounds very underdeveloped and weak, particularly the drums. When I first bought this CD and listened to it, I thought the band had used a drum machine, because it really sounds like it at times, with the cymbals in particular sounding extremely computerized and fake. So you can imagine my shock when I saw that the band actually has a drummer!! Perhaps the guy recorded with an electronic kit, I don't know, but the fact remains that the end product sounds terrible. Laughable, even.

Thankfully, Queiron makes up for this through killer riffs, catchy choruses, memorable and interesting ideas and song structures, and amusing lyrics ("PERFORM FELLATIO DURING THE IMPALEMENT"). The title track to this album, along with "Evil Domain Prevails", are probably two of the catchiest songs that this particular style of death metal has ever produced. Both tracks feature unforgettable, chant-worthy choruses, as well as earworm riffs that dig into your fucking brain. Other songs take on a more brutal route, like "Enslaved by Commandment - Chastised by Scriptures" or "Fornication of the Heavenly", both of which are relentless blasts of speed and brutality, and tend to lay off the Middle Eastern-themed aspect of the band's sound, instead focusing on a pure death metal assault. The slower tracks on this album, like "Impalement Ritual Assembly", also show a great deal of promise from the band, with a lot of very interesting, somewhat more melodic riffs, that keep the song from ever feeling stale or boring.

Overall, Queiron have really god-awful, pathetic production, but their songs are good enough that the listener can forgive it. This album, while not essential, is a worthy addition to the collection for fans of Krisiun, Nephasth, Vital Remains, etc., but also Behemoth & Nile.

Veterans with a decade under their belt in the Brazilian death metal scene, Queiron now unleashes their third full-length album. I was not a fan of Impious Domination but Templars Beholding Failures did show some promise a few years back. Unfortunately this latest offering comes across a little average, but with its heart in the right place.

Queiron are fast and brutal, their style will immediately bring to mind the last decade of Behemoth records, as well as Morbid Angel and a little of their countrymen Krisiun. There is a barbaric velocity to their sound, like a serial killer breaking his restraints and murdering everyone in the psychiatric ward. The musicianship is competent, the beats are blasting, the vocals of Brutallik carry the expectant gravity of the David Vincent style. None of this is a problem, it's just the songs fall ever so slight of being memorable. A few had some promise, like the pure death metal barrage "Impalement Ritual Assembly" with a little early Sepultura groove and some cool, snarling off-vocals. "Entangled in Carnal Compulsion" is another good tune with a great little bass spasm at the beginning and them some nice, evil break riffs.

The album has a pretty raw tone to it, but this wasn't a problem for me as I thought it really did well by their style. If you are enamored of every brutal death metal with a pulse to come along, then you can't go wrong here. But there are just so many better albums coming out in the death metal field, with catchier riffs that never sacrifice brutality, that I can't find much of a reason to return to this.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com