The Fullmoon Curse

It is simply unbelievable. Twelve years have passed since the first roots of Kharon began to take shape and only the second demo has seen the light of day in 2001. After an initial self-release on CD-R, Neodawn productions released it later on tape in a edition of 1000 units; on a side-note: it is the same label that also re-releases the first demo of The Legion from Sweden.

Three tracks with a length of a little bit more than 19 minutes are offered on this demo, whose production is above average and each instrument can be recognized. At least it is not necessary to complain again on this issue that so many new bands neglect so criminally careless. The attempt of releasing music with a poor production has become a byword for a lot of MySpace projects and often this stigmatization is appropriate and reflects the quality of the music properly. In the nineties the times were ‘better’ and bands took the time they needed to release their art. So did Kharon … to some extent.

Music does not only need an adequate and well crafted production respectively mixing. No, equally important are the arrangement, the ‘new’ ideas and riffs the band has used in the process of creating them and how they were woven together. Small differences can mark the difference between success and failure. With the latter aspect Kharon has to deal on this demo in particular. The guitars offer some neat and well crafted mid-tempo Death Metal riffs, the inoffensive play of the drums, the warmth of the bass in the background and also the vocals, be it screams or growls, give the music a special note, but together there is nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that could be pointed out to someone as special or emphasized in comparison to other well-known bands when this demo was released. In 2001 the times was over for this kind of music … and a retro-movement was and is not in sight.

What the band is lacking of is simply drive. Drive and catchiness. Something to give the songs some momentum and to raise their quality. It is not like someone would fall asleep while listening to the music, but the songs are circling around themselves instead of progressing somewhere… all is cooking on a low level and there is no offensive spirit going out from this piece of Black / Death Metal. It could be used without any problem for newbies to the Black Metal scene in order to get a first glance on what to expect and also on what to avoid later. The demo could be listened to again and again, but never will it be able to fascinate the listener over a longer period of time; as this ‘please do no offend the listener’ attitude has done a lot of harm to the music. Neat, but nothing special and recommended as a background music when nothing better is at hand.