Infernal Blasting

They couldn’t choose a more fitting title, "Infernal Blasting" is the most appropriate name for this album. Azarath sounds like a bloodthirsty, unstoppable beast here, which released such a fury that it can only lead to massacre and chaos. This is Azarath's second album, released back in 2003 by Pagan Records, and I think that not only it sounds much better than the already solid debut album "Demon Seed", but it turned into one of the best Polish death metal albums, which influenced a whole bunch of other Polish bands (Hetzer, etc).

From start to finish, "Infernal Blasting" is a vicious, brutal death metal offering, which hardly knows the meaning of the word "mercy". Intense, powerful riffage, insanely fast drumming of Inferno, bestial screams of Bruno... This album has everything. Stylistically it's a bit close to Damnation (which is an obvious comparison, due to some line up connections), but Azarath is even faster and more insane and chaotic than Damnation. You could also mention (old) Deicide, Vital Remains, Krisiun, Centurian... This sort of incredibly satanic, violently sounding death metal acts. In "Infernal Blasting" there's absolutely no sign of nice sounding music, not a second of melodic accents nor anything what could be called "catchy" or "memorable". This stuff is just as ugly and chaotic as it can get. But this energy and incredible intensity is a great strength of Azarath. Since "Infernal Blasting" is closed within 30 minutes only, you won't feel that it can sound one dimensional, as it's too short for that. Songs are rather short, only a couple of them are longer than three minutes – what also helps to capture that straight forward and relentless energy with obscure, evil atmosphere. You may moan that some riffs are unreadable - but come on, this is harsh sounding, brutal death metal! If you want something nice in death metal, go and listen to fuckin Kata-wimps-klysm.

Azarath is doing what they are best at - they perform "Infernal Blasting Death Metal". And damn, I am infected with it 100%. Of course, it's not an album, which you can listen to for a whole day, but it you feel pissed off and want something to free this aggression, then play Azarath.

Standout tracks: don’t know
Verdict: 70/100

Azarath is the best-kept secret in death metal. Unbelievably brutal and fast. Chaos, chaos, chaos. War, war, war. The riffs are catchy enough to stick with you and rock out to but are played so heavily and quickly, just completely savage.

The musicianship here is top-notch. The solos are pure Kerry King - fast, noisy, junky scales - and for the music it's perfect. Just totally wild. Behemoth's Inferno contributes some of his fastest, tightest drumming ever, which is probably the real highlight of the album. Vokills appropriately alter between the high screams and low growls to great effect. Production is thin enough to be satisfyingly kvlt without losing the distinctions between the instruments, and the drums come in esp. well. Lyrics are pure Satanic war metal. Azarath keeps it simple, and that's a good thing.

This album floored me when it first came out and I'm still not sick of it. One of the best death metal albums ever.

Fucking great. All the weak, badly structured and loose sounding bands should just listen to just the first minute of this LP to take note of how to be greatly professional. Very fast, very brutal. Everything is put together crisply and professionally. The vocals are brutal roars, the drumming is fast and controlled and the guitar work is very accurate sounding in accordance with the rest of the band. The music is very fast and manic and the time changes are supreme. Not a massive fan of the solos though, they show no variation or change in tempo and are the usual fast and boring variation. Actually, there isn't much variation in general on this LP. But, if it is just brutal and fast as fuck you are looking for, this LP is fucking brilliant in that aspect.
Track 8, "Joy of Mutilation", is possibly my favourite track, that has an impressive intro and has by far the best solo of the bunch.

Yeah, good shit.