FORTY DAYS LONGING
"The
Head of the Demon" (self-produced demo)
Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter
Forty Days Longing are a breath of fresh air in the death
metal genre. "The Head Of The Demon" is a three song mini-CD (25 minutes of
music) with vivid imagery, dynamic musical passages, and with a flair for the dramatic.
The presence of violin and atypical keyboards immediately separate Forty Days Longing from
other death metal acts; the willingness to be unconventional is the band's greatest
strength.
Forty Days Longing present their music covering a broad spectrum of emotions from
prolonged pathos to fiery turmoil. With confidence and emphatic style the band tackles
lyrical matters objectively. I have no doubt that we'll be hearing from Forty Days Longing
in the years to come as the group continues to mature and develop its sound and vision.
"Blood Of Creation" starts the disc off with a patient keyboard and bass stanza before blasting into a torpid death metal grind. The growl of the vocals complements the tormented howl of the music. "Starvation Techniques" is a fleet number where the violin takes prominence in the melody. Complex guitar-keyboard-violin counterpoint harmonies characterize the end of the song.
"Realm Of Confinement" is an epic tour de force that features many prominent shifts in mood and tempo. The song showcases the musical chops of this young band and clearly demonstrates a number of distinctive songwriting elements that it will likely build upon for years to come.
Forty Days Longing's "The Head Of The Demon" features vocalist Zdenka, guitarist Matt, keyboardist Greg, violinist Suovo, and John on bass, and Nick on drums. The rhythm section has since been replaced and the live line up is stronger than the recorded version of the band on this mini-CD.
"The Head Of The Demon" was produced by the band with engineering assistance from Bruce F. and mastering assistance from Doug M. To learn more about this fascinating new outfit, please visit their website at http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Shores/2258/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 1999 by R.
Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
Revised: 16 Sep 2024 12:13:34 -0400
.
