Devilish Impressions

Simulacra

Written by: PP on 30/10/2012 15:05:12

When it comes to anything death metal related, you need to look to Poland to get it just right. Although Devilish Impressions--who originate from the small city of Opole--aren't exactly crystal clear death metal, the genre's influence is strongly audible in their blackened version, where symphonic synths and black metal also make up a large part of the expression. "Simulacra" is their third album overall; to date the band have impressed enough right people in the Polish scene that the album is packed with guest appearances of Polish mainstay names, the most prominent one being Orion of Behemoth fame.

To describe "Simulacra" can be a daunting task because of how quickly it spirals from one genre to another often within the same passage. What starts as a pure black metal track with the usual shrieks that go with the genre can quickly pace up to serpentine style death metal riffing and rapid fire blast beats and into deeper growling for a moment. And then there are tracks like "Lilith" in between, which feature melancholic male singing that wouldn't feel out-of-place on a Paradise Lost or a Katatonia album, usually supported by theatrical orchestral sequences and other dramatic elements. It's this constant variety that holds "Simulacra" in such high esteem by many of my peers in the underground music press, especially because the singing feels such a natural part of their otherwise blackened soundscape as a contrasting element.

While there are moments here that compare to Dimmu Borgir, the closest reference point is probably Vesania or maybe even Graveworm, although Devilish Impression embed too many genres into their sound to easily point a finger at any one contemporary act. "Simulacra" provides a modern and powerful take on the black/death metal genres, a sound which mixes together elements from both seamlessly and with the usual Polish skill we've grown accustomed to in these styles.

7

Download: Lilith, Spiritual Blackout, Icaros
For the fans of: Vesania, Dimmu Borgir, Graveworm,
Listen: Facebook

Release date 30.07.2012
Lifeforce Records

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