CD Review: Pledge Defiance - CREOPHAGOUS
Artist: Pledge Defiance
Album: Creophagus
Released: March 2008
Label: Impaled Records
Reviewer: Fractal
Band Members: Andrew Brecher - Vocals
Grant Lazenby - Guitar
Chase Drewett - Bass
Nic Venter - Drums
My first reaction to this CD was "holy fuuuck!". So I gave it a rest for a few days, and then listened again. My second reaction to this CD was "holy fuuuck!"
The phrase "blown away" is cliched and overused. But these were the only words I could think of when listening to this album. Yep, I was blown away. More specifically, the blood running in my veins changed direction and my brain membranes were ripped apart.
It's not just the pure brutality of the music that caused this reaction, but the fact that in spite of it's heavy rawness, the band has retained a melodic aspect in the songs. The riffs are crushing but melodious, heavy and brutal, but pleasing to the ears. Unrelenting chords with just enough repetition to numb your sinuses and engulf you in a distorted ruthless beauty.
The vocals on this album range from traditional death with a touch of raw black metal rasps adding to the overall richness of the songs.
One particular track that stood out for me was "Dark Future", starting out with some freaky bass plucking, and moving into epic choral vocals which kind of take you by surprise, backed up by the thumping death riffs and vocals, with a shorty angry guitar solo towards the end of the song.
I vaguely recall a festival last year where I stood in terrified fascination watching this band, until the moshpit smacked me back into reality. The energy coming from the stage was raw unadulterated power, and the production on the album captures this energy. Fans of Pledge Deifance's live show will definately appreciate this album as it remains true to the essence of the band.
The album art by drummer Nic Venter is simple and effective. Shots of the band members on stage fill the inner cover where the lyrics can be found. The new logo in the form of a rusty iron emblem is the main picture on the front cover.
For those of you wondering about the band name change from "Creophagous" to "Pledge Defiance", the band states "We feel that our style has evolved into something a little different. We are still the brutal Metal Band you all know and love - just a better evolved version."
Personally I prefer the name Creophagous, but the link to this name is kept in the title of the album.
I am grateful for the day when a giant, tattooed musician (guitarist Grant Lazenby) quietly thrust a CD into my hand at a metal gig in JHB, and exposed me to the brutality that is Pledge Defiance!
More about this band at http://www.myspace.com/creophagousband
Track Listing:
1. A Grim Recollection of Vengeance
2. Slaughtering Spree
3. Parole from the Bloodlust
4. Deceiver
5. Descent
6. The Halls of Malevolence
7. Allusions of Terror
8. Relentless
9. Dark Future
10. Decimate
Our Sponsors