Artist: Divine Empire
Label: Olympic Recordings
Release Date: 6/3/03
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Title: Nostradamus Artist: Divine Empire Label: Olympic Recordings Release Date: 6/3/03 |
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Abyss's Review:
I guess it shouldn't be surprising that this sounds a lot like Malevolent Creation since the bands have a few people in common. By this I don't mean to imply that the bands sound exactly the same, but they are pretty damn close. Nostradamus is a straight-forward, mid-paced, hyphen-inducing slab o' death metal that is far from groundbreaking, but tightly performed.
"I like this record a good deal, but liking something and suggesting that other people spend their hard-earned money on it are two different things." It's the same old catch-22. I like this record a good deal, but liking something and suggesting that other people spend their hard-earned money on it are two different things. If you like mid-paced accessible death metal, this album most likely won't disappoint you. However, if you only have a few bucks to spend on music this month, this may not be the record to sit atop your list of must-haves. Then again, in the extreme metal realm we are denizens of, an album's worth is purely subjective. For every band that one person thinks is boring or re-hashed, there is another who thinks it is fresh and innovative, you just have to figure out what side of the fence you're on.
Divine Empire bounce along at a brisk pace, usually laying down a cool riff, throwing in some artificial harmonics and growling a catchy cadence. This does much to get your head bobbing, but doesn't really get the gears inside turning. And while this record is too enjoyable to be called generic, it would be too generous to call it all that remarkable. So what's left? I'll tell you what, it's solid. Good ol' solid, middle-tier death metal that is satisfying in and of itself. It answers no questions and tells you no lies. It's just there for the taking, and if you like this kind of stuff you should definitely buy in.
"The workmanlike ethos of get the job done and leave 'em wanting more is in full effect here, so be forewarned." One word of caution is the brevity of the album, which comes in at just barely a half an hour. No frills. The workmanlike ethos of get the job done and leave 'em wanting more is in full effect here, so be forewarned. One word review: Solid.
Death's Review:
"Look kids - a real live, actual, functioning Florida death metal band!" Scene veterans Divine Empire return with Nostradamus, an album they dedicate "to the memory of death metal's fore-father Chuck Schuldiner." A nice touch. Divine Empire owe much to the legacy of the early Death sound (the pre-prog/uber-technical years), as well as the rest of the purveyors of the classic Florida death metal sound (Morbid Angel, Deicide, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse). The grand tradition is carried on through downtuned, crushing and grinding guitars, with dual-layered vocals (one gutteral, one screaming) and nice groove riffs throughout. This really is standard-issue stuff, but in an era when the standard has essentially been eradicated from existence, or at least minimized within the ever-growing, expanding and morphing, the standard-issue takes on an important, preservationist type role. It's like, "look kids - a real live, actual, functioning Florida death metal band!" Just kidding, things haven't gotten than grim in the cradle of American death metal, but you get my point. Divine Empire are carrying the torch, and for that alone, they deserve a measure of respect.
"Nostradamus marks a return to the band's roots: fast and brutal death metal." Originally formed in 1998 by two ex-Malevolent Creation members, bassist/vocalist Jason Blachowicz (earning no bonus points with this Raider fan by sporting full-on Tampa Bay Buc regalia in the CD booklet photo) and drummer Derrick Roddy (along with ex-Paingod guitarist J.P. Soars), Divine Empire set out on an apparent mission to deliver a blistering, pummeling death metal assault without pretentions. Roddy's subsequent departure (now replaced by Duane Timlin) did not slow them down, but after a subtle embracing of the melodic, Eurpoean type death metal on their second effort (2000's Doomed to Inherit), Nostradamus marks a return to the band's roots: fast and brutal death metal. In this era where bands like Hate Eternal and Kataklysm are getting constant attention on MTV and Fuse's metal video shows, perhaps there is a newfound respect for the current generation of brutal death metal that will blossom into a full-blown resurgence of the classic sound in the coming months. If so, Divine Empire will be right in the mix.
Hel's Review:
"This is indeed the first time I find myself spending any time with one of their albums. I definitely should have done this a long time ago." Favorite track: "The Pain Remains"
It's difficult for me to believe that Divine Empire has been passing more or less under my radar for the past few years. Yet this is indeed the first time I find myself spending any time with one of their albums. I definitely should have done this a long time ago. The low death growl delivery strikes me as rather unique and I truly enjoy the understandable yet demonic tenor of his voice. These are offset by a more black metal style high screaming growl and together the two are an unbeatable combination.
"Divine Empire's Nostradamus is a must for the death metal addict." Overall, the pace of the songs is mid-tempo, but a groovy, head bobbing kind of mid-tempo, not an I'm-going-to-kill-myself-if-this-song-doesn't-go-somewhere-soon kind of mid-tempo. The drumming is incessant from beginning to end and perfectly offsets the steady, intense riffs and the occasional blazing guitar solo. The songwriting is diverse, interesting, and even complex at times. Sound clips abound, and while this has become one of those pet peeves that will usually send me into a raging rant of hatred, in this instance they are extraordinarily well utilized and the ones featured are all classic quotes.
The biggest drawback of the record is its brevity. For example, my usual system for writing reviews is to hit "play" on the cd player, then click "file - new" on my computer. Most of the time, I'm finished with my review before the album ends. I know this, because I am always annoyed; either that I have to go all the way to the living room to switch to the next disc or, if it's a really good record, that I don't have time to listen through to the end and that I have to go all the way to the living room to switch to the next disc. But in this case, I was only half done with my review when it ended. But even with this flaw, I think this is an excellent album. Divine Empire's Nostradamus is a must for the death metal addict.
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