Sothis

In the past few years, the United States has experienced a surge of black metal bands. While there is a substantial quantity of bands in the U.S., most of them are either uninspired Darkthrone copycats, or uninspired Xasthur copycats. Enter Sothis, a symphonic black metal band hailing from the city of Los Angeles. Don't expect to hear any dark hymns that are inspired by self hatred or over the top demonic themes that are commonly found in today's scene.

Instead, what we have here is music that is not only very brutal and atmospheric, but also very theatrical. Listening to them is more like an experience rather than just hearing music. The brutal riffs ensnare the listener in bondage while the drums and vocals pummel the aural senses into submission. The synths create atmospheres that take your mind into the realms of darkness. From the opening riffs of "Hypocrisy" to the final shrieks at the closing seconds of "Reflections of old", this demo does not have a single dull moment.

One other thing that sets Sothic apart from the pack is the sound quality of this demo. It is professionally recorded and mixed and comes in a professionally done digi-pack case.

I highly recommend this demo for die hard fans of symphonic bm a la Emperor or Enthrone Darkness Triumphant era Dimmu Borgir, or for people who crave something other than the countless Norwegian wannabes that are currently flooding Myspace pages.