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Review Summary: It's never a good idea to buy into hype Despite having a career that never really took off, VON has a lot of buzz in the black metal scene. I’ve come across a good amount of bands that have either covered them or cited them as a strong influence or I’ve encountered numerous people are citing this demo as this “groundbreaking” and “amazing” holy grail of the genre. So recently I went searching on the internet to check it out myself (the whole thing is on YouTube by the way) and upon listening to it, I was completely dumbfounded at the hype circling this thing. This demo, in a single word, is terrible.
The first thing that sticks out is the songwriting. Now I’ve heard “primitive” and “minimalistic” used to describe it, but those are actually pretty polite terms considering just how astonishingly bad the songwriting really is. Each track feels like it’s on an endless loop. They have at the most one or two different riffs that just cycle over and over again. Obviously this never ending repetition makes the demo intolerably tiresome to listen to. Further examples of how incredibly uninspired the compositions are, is that each song follows a near identical structure, of course making it near impossible to tell one song apart from the next. It becomes mind numbing very quickly.
As for performances, they consist of some very amateurish and one dimensional riffs that are barely audible because of the atrocious production, and blast beat drumming that keeps the exact same tempo for every song. It sounds like he was just slamming away at his snare drum, which itself sounds a lot like a bunch of thumping more than anything else. Like he had a drum kit made of wood and cardboard. They completely overwhelm the very generic and razor thin guitar work. Being that this is a black metal demo from the early 90’s, awful sound quality is par for the course. But the mixing here at times makes the music pretty much unlistenable. However probably the worst part of the sound are the vocals, which are just downright comic. They are low guttural growls, sounding something more akin to death metal than black metal. However they are pretty hard to take seriously just because of how silly they sound, almost like a guy doing a parody of death growls. Lyrics are also god awful. Absolutely cringe worthy at times, sounding just as goofy as the vocal work belching them out.
Like I mentioned at the start of this review, I am dumbfounded at the worship this demo has received. Not only is it generic and forgettable, it’s just downright bad music. I say avoid entirely. Unless you have a thing for poorly constructed, badly performed, generic black metal, than this is right up your alley.
Other than that, this is one to skip entirely.
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Your argumets are solid and well argued but your structuring has a lot of problems man, you might want to give the review a quick proof read.
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what the fuck is this heresy!? i by no means am a "huge" fan of this release, and far from the people that worship Von, but you need to look at this in the context of when it was released. these guys defined a movement really, one that has really come into fruition these past few years. it's far from unlistenable.
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This isn't really that bad either. Words like primal and animalistic really do fit as descriptors just because of how ferociously they got at every track and in the process create a really dark, hostile atmosphere throughout. +1 to everything Spirit said too
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well i'm about to spit my skinny vanilla late across the fucking room right now!!!!!!
but in all seriousness, this release is firstly actually really good and secondly, a lot more influential than most people who have taken a drop from the ocean of black metal give it credit for.
"I’ve encountered numerous people are citing this demo as this “groundbreaking” and “amazing” holy grail of the genre. So recently I went searching on the internet to check it out myself (the whole thing is on YouTube by the way) and upon listening to it, I was completely dumbfounded at the hype circling this thing. This demo, in a single word, is terrible."]
Opening with a section like this gives me the impression that my second point stands here.
Being that this is a black metal demo from the early 90’s, awful sound quality is par for the course. But the mixing here at times makes the music pretty much unlistenable.
Again if you's spent more than 5 seconds doing your such well informed research you'd know that the demo was recorded on a single microphone hung up in the middle of the room and the band just played their set. So the idea of production and mixing wasn't really on the cards for these dudes with this one.
"Each track feels like it’s on an endless loop. They have at the most one or two different riffs that just cycle over and over again. Obviously this never ending repetition makes the demo intolerably tiresome to listen to. Further examples of how incredibly uninspired the compositions are, is that each song follows a near identical structure, of course making it near impossible to tell one song apart from the next. It becomes mind numbing very quickly."
How many black metal albums from the classic era utilize these supposedly horrendous ideas? Black metal in itself was always designed so to speak as anti-music that was to be hated, feared and loathed by outsiders. To quote Fenriz of all people "We could feel it in the tiny Norwegian scene when the VON demo hit our shores, and it cemented our belief that this could be elaborated upon. I think Burzum, Mayhem and Darkthrone all did it, and many that followed." Filosofem? Transilvanian Hunger anyone? the legions of imitators that have and still continue to appear in their wake?
Anyways sorry about my little rant but i've been working nights all week and felt the need to let off a little steam, i'm not usually one for wading in a pointing out when people are idiots but in this case i thought it necessary.
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why do you write so many negative reviews
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" Again if you's spent more than 5 seconds doing your such well informed research you'd know that the demo was recorded on a single microphone hung up in the middle of the room and the band just played their set."
Devil's advocate incoming: Just because the band purposely made it this way doesn't mean he has to like/agree with it.
That being said though, I think the mixing suits the raw, primal, evil sound they were going for and my initial comment still stands. Also I do agree with Moose that maybe early BM just isn't for you?
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yeah, i will again apoligise for my previous rant :-/ i get your point dude and i'm not usually the type to go crazy in threads as i like spreading the positive vibes. i was just tired and agitated as fuck yesterday having just finished working nights and having not slept for 2 days. On the bright side, i have slept and am now back to feeling awesome as usual :]
| | | Album Rating: 1.5
"why do you write so many negative reviews"
Just a coincidence. I write however I feel about an album at the moment, so it just so happens a lot of the more recent things I've listened to I didn't care for.
Also Moose, its cool. First off I figured I'd piss some people off with this review. Plus I work the night shift too so I know how it feels to get no sleep.
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It's perfectly correct to dislike this, after all. This band is a complete abortion.
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lol
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