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Inearthed > Shining > Reviews
Inearthed - Shining

They've come to reign where death is bound. - 70%

Diamhea, February 26th, 2007

Shining bridges the gap between the Inearthed material and Something Wild fairly successfully, as you can see plenty of stylistic maturity compared to, for example, Implosion of Heaven. Many of the sonic attributes present here would later be dropped by the time Follow the Reaper came along, so this remains a compelling time capsule and snapshot of where the band stood at this point in time.

The track with the most interesting history is without a doubt "Talking of the Trees". The band held it in high enough regard to re-record it for their debut LP, but it was subsequently cut from the album without a proper reappearance. Regardless, many sections were recycled for "Mask of Sanity" years later, and for good reason. While Shining lacks the speed and hectic characteristics of proper Children of Bodom material, it takes advantage of its slower passages to build effective atmosphere. Laiho's then-passable blackened snarl is interspersed with guttural deviations and spoken-word passages that at the very least add some variety to a normally one-dimensional approach.

While clearly not as talented as Wirman, Pirisjoki earns high marks for his ability to summon a foreboding atmosphere on command, giving these demo tapes a unique appeal largely absent on the group's later compositions. The guitars are animated, sometimes hinting at Laiho's over-the-top leadwork. Otherwise, they fail to steal the show on account of the slower overall tempo and proclivity for acoustic texturing. Raatikainen has to deliver the most impressive isolated performance here. The drums are bouncy, lively, and feature unconventional snare rolls and even some restrained blasting during certain sections. It is almost as if his skills have steadily deteriorated over the past 17 years. The bass benefits the most from the bare-bones production values. Seppälä is always throbbing away in the background, actually rivaling Overkill in terms of bass presence.

Then-newcomer Anssi Kippo recorded and mixed Shining, and its existence as a demo tape is hard to hide. It sounds unpolished and uneven especially during the acoustic sections. Volume also fluctuates wildly regarding the bass and drums. I could do without the overly-chaotic "Homeland", but the remaining three tracks rival much of the material on Something Wild in terms of both songwriting and subdued aggression. The interesting thing is, if it wasn't for the "ripoff" record deal prompting a name change, Children of Bodom would probably still be known as Inearthed. This is the best of their demo material by quite a margin, so fans will find plenty to chew on here.

(Revised/Updated 1/2/14)

The Band That Would Be Bodom - 70%

DawnoftheShred, January 20th, 2007

Well this came as quite a surprise to me. Despite my feelings about Children of Bodom (I don't like them), this early Inearthed demo features some nice songwriting. All the elements that Bodom fans love are here in their earliest form, with the only downside being the poor production value.

All four tracks on here shine with creative energy. Every song has a good flow and a lot of great muscianship that doesn't fail to keep it interesting. A lot of the guitar melodies are quite catchy and the keyboard work adds a unique atmosphere to the works (namely the cool synth backing in "Homeworld"). The drumming displays the most talent on here, but it's forgivable, as the band is still in their infancy on this recording. The vocals range from death growls to the rough shreiking more akin with black metal than power metal. The rough vocals have always set this band apart among their peers, but on here they actually sound good. Don't ask about the lyrics, I can't discern any of them.

The sole problem with this demo is the production. Going far beyond raw into the realm of conscientious mediocrity, it's absolutely shoddy. The volume isn't normalized, there's no depth to the tracks, there's quite a bit of lost high-end frequencies, and there's a lot of equalizing mistakes that weren't edited out during production (parts of "Homeworld" cut out). And it's a shame, as the shitty production really detracts from the songs on here.

Otherwise, it's solid compositionally, combining delicate melodicism with harsh power metal passages. I'm not even a fan of theirs and I can admit to quality of songwriting here, so it's sure to please their listeners. If they can get past the piss-poor quality, that is.

Good old 96' - 95%

SniPer0791, January 24th, 2006

I've had this demo for quite some time now, I just decided to pop it in a few days ago to give a listen. And it brings back some great memories. I miss the days when Alexi and company could write such great songs.

All of the instruments on this demo are very noticable, with just a little loss of high end. But thats not truely a bad thing, I myself am a fan of the raw production. Some of the melodies heard on this demo can be found lingering on COB's other albums.
The mood is very dark, especially on Homeland II. The main riff is actaully from Towards Dead End, but much slower, and I actaully like it better this way.

All of the songs on this album are noteworthy and very good. Especially the keys, they add texture and mood to the demo. Even Alexi's solos are pretty good for a teenager. Also there are acoustic passages. Which COB pretty much never did on any of there albums, expcept for a little part on Something WIld "Red Light in My Eys Part 1".

The vocals are very good to, they are closer to a black metal style rather then that thrashy sound on Hatecrew and Are You Dead Yet?

Talking of the Trees is by far my favorite song on this demo. The main riff is pretty cool, then it goes right into a fast melodic riff quickley followed by another great riff along with the vocals.

There is not much to say about this demo, except that anyone who is a fan of Something Wild, and any other Black/Death/Metal bands of the 90'-97' era should definetly give this demo along with Inearthed's other demo a listen. Take the demo for what its worth. Don't judge it one bit by the production. Take in the melodies, and familiar riffs found in Homeland II and Talking of the Trees (which by the way has a female vocal part in it) and just enjoy it.