Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Terror of the Trees > Devil Worship > Reviews
Terror of the Trees - Devil Worship

Good album, but it's got a few rough edges... - 80%

Agonizer, February 8th, 2005

This album was released on New York based independent label Destro Records. It is a black/thrash album from His Eminence The Wicked's (former Hemlock) one man band, Terror Of The Trees entitled "Devil Worship".

It's a decent enough debut, pretty solid at that. The first, and perhaps most shocking thing for underground black metal artists at least, is that the production is very clear, and not at all muddied. Which leads one to believe it's not simply a demo, but a proper debut release.

Most notable on this release, other than the production, is the guitar. It stands above all other instruments from the beginning ("Cleansing The Air...War Weapon"). Which, in the way this is written, is far from a bad thing. In fact, the guitars have a very "old school" black metal feel to them, comparable to Venom, but a bit more structured and less archaic (ie punk-ish/grindcore-ish). In fact, much of this album rings true in that same fashion. Serving as a well laid bridge between Venom and more contemporary acts, such as Darkthrone, and perhaps a few trace amounts of Mayhem thrown in here and there, keeping this album from sounding dated or cliche. Songs such as "Gallows To Graveyards" do this flawlessly, as does "Grave Blanket".

Another feature on this album that was very nice to see was the bass. Unlike most black metal releases, the bass here is audible, though further down in the mix, and slightly distorted, and not serving much other than a supporting role for the guitar work. Even though this is the case, it works very well and is still audible.

The drums seem to have been recorded using a drum machine (most notable on "Light My Fire"), though I could be wrong on that one, but still, this is not a bad thing at all, as they are done very well, and not in the typical one man USBM/BM fashion of throwing in as many blast beats as possible to simply sound extreme for the sake of being extreme alone (which makes a world of difference in this case!).

Vocal work. Well, the vocals here are solidly black metal, and most of the time ring with a perfect amount of reverb, giving them a very cold feel. Though, with a few variations here and there as well as some shouted vocal lines that seem like old thrash fist-pumping choruses (the closing moments of "Gallows To Graveyards" for instance)..

Overall, this is a very good album, by a band that seems promising, and indeed, lets us know that not only is USBM alive and well, but there are other one man bands out there than Burzum that deserve your attention. The only draw back that I can personally saw on this one, was that the music itself seems very old, and can get very 80's metal-ish in some points (and not in a good way). Such as with lines like "You've heard the rest now hear the best" in "I Am The Noise They Blame On The Wind". Some of the guitar solos are also very, VERY, 1980's metal...and can remind one of bands such as, maybe Manowar. Then again, that is the price one pays for having a guitar driven album.

Even still, a solid release, and well worth your time and effort to seek out. What Virginia's Deceased are to metal/death metal, Terror Of The Trees are to black metal, and that is a compliment not only to this band, and to His Eminence The Wicked, but to black metal itself.