By this point, we should all be familiar with the concept of a “supergroup,” bands that consist of members with their own individual careers and fan bases. When a collection of well known musicians get together to write some music that lies outside their established sound, things can get pretty interesting. So when former Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison and Drangonforce bassist, Fred Leclercq got together to create a new project, things definitely became more interesting. Given that Sinsaenum, as an extreme death metal act is fairly different from Slipknot and Dragonforce, I didn’t know what to expect at first listen.
As I looked further into the band, I saw that Attila Csihar of Mayhem was on vocal duty as well as Sean Zatorsky of Daath. Heimoth of Seth is on bass and Stephane Buriez on guitar. So clearly, this is a power packed lineup and expectations were raised significantly. As a big fan of extreme metal, I was looking for something to really blow me away. I was not disappointed. Raw and brutal, Sinsaenum came together very well to create an exciting new EP, “Ashes.”
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‘Ashes’ is the first track off the record and it starts the record off on the right foot. I like the atmospheric sound with some wailing guitars on top. The riff work is interesting and different, while the solos are seamless and flowing. ‘Monarch of Death’ starts off with a very black metal esque sound. The guitars sound huge and the drums are relentless. Part of me wishes Joey Jordison had always played death metal because his work behind the kit on this album is impeccable. He’s fast as hell, can work a groove, and knows the right time to throw in a fill.
There are two tracks on the EP that were former bonus tracks only released in Japan. ‘Degeneration’ and ‘King of Desperate Lands’ are back to back killer tracks, now available for the world to enjoy. Again, very much a black metal sound with a surprising, epic solo. I really enjoyed the catchy, opening riff of ‘King of Desperate Lands.’ There is a moment of dual vocals which has a very interesting sound to it. The riffs are intricate and interesting, I feel comfortable saying there isn’t a dull moment on this record.
‘Dead Souls’ is a track we’ve heard before, but not quite like this. The track was remixed by Frédéric Duquesne of Mass Hysteria. From what I can tell, the mix is cleaner, the guitar tones are crisper, and the overall sound is much tighter. So even if you’ve heard it before, you haven’t heard it quite like this.
All in all, this is a strong EP following their highly acclaimed debut “Echoes of the Tortured.” They blend death metal and black metal then shake it up to make it extra crazy. Overall, I’m impressed with the sound and I think any fan of death metal and especially any fans of black metal will really enjoy this EP. It is fast, brutal, and relentless, which are all the hallmarks of a great metal record. This is definitely the new supergroup to keep an eye on.
