Artist: Vehemence
Label: Metal Blade
Release Date: 7/2/02
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Title: God Was Created Artist: Vehemence Label: Metal Blade Release Date: 7/2/02 |
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Abyss's Review:
The evolution of music in general and metal in particular is largely made up of small, forward-thinking innovations that set up an explosive step forward once everyone jumps on the bandwagon. And it is often that these little steps go unnoticed in the big picture. What I mean is that for every obvious era there are a few understated bands that fall by the wayside and never get the full credit they deserve. While At the Gates and Emperor and Mayhem are often thought of as genre pioneers, what we tend to forget is that they weren't the only bands experimenting with their respective sounds back in the day. Some of their peers continued on to success right alongside them, and some were lost to oblivion. Vehemence, I hope, will not be counted among the bands that met the latter fate.
"This is a very important album." This is a very important album. It signifies a shift in perspective that, while it seems obvious in hindsight, is quite innovative. Vehemence are too melodic to be "brutal death metal" and too weighty to fit in with the flighty melodies that drift over from Scandinavia. They remind me of the heavier parts of Opeth, but are far more ugly and guttural. The way Vehemence do this is by introducing their melodies to the background of the music, making you search for them rather than pushing them into your face. This makes for a unique and rewarding death metal experience, and one that won't be quickly forgotten. Upon initial listening this album sounds almost completely driven by its aggressive rhythms, but this is only because its subsequent sounds are layered below the heft rather than above it.
This band incorporates the dueling, harmonizing guitar leads that can be found in most melodic death these days, but unlike all of the others, theirs is understated. The guitars play and dance over each other, but they never betray the sheer weight of the rest of the music, so much so that, even with all of the melody, the music still comes across as "brutal". There are also understated keyboards to add atmosphere. They add thickness to the sound, but don't distract from it. In fact, nothing on this whole disc is distracting; it's all a perfect mix-complement upon complement.
"I haven't heard lyrics this poetic and disturbing at once, since Acid Bath's When the Kite String Pops." The vocals spew forth like old Cannibal Corpse, or maybe even Dying Fetus. And the lyrics themselves? I don't even want to repeat them, as they are some of the most blasphemous utterings put on tape. Despite their venom and shock, however, they seem above the garden variety "I'm going to fuck Christ up the ass" drivel. Disturbing imagery, but well presented. I haven't heard lyrics this poetic and disturbing at once, since Acid Bath's When the Kite String Pops.
So if you appreciate the beauty of Opeth, but think they're pussies, this disc is for you. If you are a huge fan of brutal death metal, but haven't heard anything that stands out in a while, this disc is for you. However, if you think N'SYNC is soooo much cuter than the Backstreet Boys and Limp Bizkit are the new Led Zepplin, you might want to pass on this one. One word review: Inspired.
Death's Review:
Remember back in the early 1990's, when someone could describe a band as "death metal" and you'd know what he or she were talking about, at least generally? Of course those days are now long gone. In this day and age, if I were to simply tell you that Vehemence play "death metal," the inquiry clearly could not end there. Rather, such a description opens up a whole new realm of questioning, does it not? Do they play melodic Swedish-style Gothenburg death, a la In Flames or Soilwork, or do they employ more of a Stockholm sound, a la Dismember or Entombed? Neither? Well then, let's see. . . Seeing as how Vehemence are American (Arizona), do they play brutal, old school Suffocation style like Dying Fetus or Skinless, are they more grind-oriented like Cephalic Carnage? Still no? Well do they worship at the altar of Deicide, employ a blackened element, or are they more of a sped-up post-modern Morbid Angel like Hate Eternal or Nile? Still missing the mark, am I? What in the name of honest-to-goodness Christ-fucking is going on here? As the discerning metalhead knows, you cannot get away with simply describing an outfit as death metal anymore. The sub-genre has splintered into so many of its own sub-sub-genres that the description is not of much use to us here.
"What in the name of honest-to-goodness Christ-fucking is going on here?" But what if I told you that Vehemence are at once melodic, brutal and black? Would that help? Because they are. No, they are not melodic in the sing-songy, commercial sense you here in Soilwork and In Flames -instead, they employ melody like Iron Maiden and later era Death. No, they are not as brutal as Skinless or Suffocation - instead, they are rip with strong guttural vocals like Nile meets the Haunted or something. No, they are not full-on black metal like Emperor or Cradle of Filth, but even a casual perusal of the lyrics to their Metal Blade debut and concept album God Was Created reveals no love of Christ, I will tell you that. Thus, within the arguably narrow confines of mere "death metal," Vehemence appear to have forged something original, something new. Sure, it is, in the end, just a platter full of well-played and melodic styled brutal death metal. But if you can think of three other acts off the top of your head that are currently balancing brutality and melody with extremity in such a manner as this, I'd be surprised. Vehemence do a great job of bringing together several different underground metal factions, both melodic and extreme, and for these reasons alone, Vehemence stands out from the pack, deserving notice and raised devil horns from all.
They might also end up standing out from the pack for another reason, if anyone was to read the lyrics. God Was Created is a "concept" album, in which --to the best of my limited understanding-- Christ seems to possess various characters to commit various earthly acts through the eyes of mere mortals. Something like that. For example, in "Made For Her Jesus," Jesus appears in the form of a girl's father who proceeds to fuck her. Or so it seems from my reading. Not exactly what you'd call family friendly material. If Tipper Gore in her PMRC days or Bob Dole or whoever had only known what was coming for them later on down the road, it would have blown their minds. Cannibal Corpse my ass - lyrically, this is some sick shit. The fact that these lyrics are well written and exhibit both intelligence and a cohesive theme only serve to make them more frightening to mainstream America. If those politicians only knew.
"The fact that these lyrics are well-written and exhibit both intelligence and a cohesive theme only serve to make them more frightening to mainstream America." The guitar work is excellent throughout the album, standing out as the most prominent example of a generally well-performed and well-produced release. The riffs don't hit you over the head with groove, but there is much headbanging to be done and much melodic technicality to be deciphered. Some of the guitar sounds and even the tones themselves that are employed really add an overall sense of aural freshness to the album as well. All in all, God Was Created surely will be embraced by the extreme metal underground, and will undoubtedly be worshipped by many. This is a top-notch release of brutal melodic extremity. If this review does not do enough to describe it, I suggest you plunk down the change and check out God Was Created, either that or make sure to catch their forthcoming U.S. tour with Incantation, Impaled, Decapitated and Dead Fall. That should do the trick. Sorry I could not help you more. At least I didn't just call it death metal and leave it at that!
Hel's Review:
Vehemence have truly achieved new levels of blasphemous depravity. Hooray! While it is much more anti-Christian than Satanic, the evil intensity is eminently suitable. Moreover, not only is it well-performed, it manages to be fresh and inventive with a combination of increasingly overdone elements. They excel at setting varying levels of dark moods. God Was Made is truly a unique variation on the blackened melodic death theme. Where the hell did this come from? Apparently, from the future of death metal, which is looking increasingly bright.
"Vehemence have truly achieved new levels of blasphemous depravity. Hooray!"
"You know it's a good record when it makes a death metal nut like me giddy." Best of all, the production is beautiful, crystal clear and proving once and for all that death and black metal bands do themselves a huge injustice when they insist on being true (or as web-boarder SLK puts it: TROO) to the old school and purposefully choosing to produce their records so that they sound like it was recorded inside a deep old metal ashtray. Let me hear every overly intricate note, damn it! That's the whole reason I love this kind of music, man.
You know it's a good record when it makes a death metal nut like me giddy. You heard me, giddy!! Not to mention that they have one of the best band names I've heard in ages - I've always been a big fan of the word "vehement" - it was a stroke of brilliance to use a variation thereof for a death metal band name. Yeah, I'm a big, giddy, vehement geek with my favorite words and death metal. Too bad you are too. You're the one who truly needs to buy this record. Go in sin, my child.
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