The Chalice Of Ages

Excellent first album from this US band hailing from California — not a place really known for good music these days. Deathevokation are a Death Metal band who are going for a unique sound without budging from the core of Death even a little. Deeply influenced by the old Swedish sound, this band is heavy and evil, while still bringing a degree of musicality to the works that makes me think of The Chasm or Septic Flesh.

This is not hyperfast blasting, but heavy, crunchy DM with a lot of melody and deep roaring vocals. There's no trace of modernity or Gothenburg trend-whoring in this, just relentless, merciless riffing that lays down heaviness with authority and class. This band has only been together for three or four years, but they play like a veteran act. Every song on here is brutal without being blasty, evil without relying on puke vocals and stupid gore lyrics. This album really picks up the old-school Swedish sound and does something with it, while not giving in to trendiness or modernity at all. Deathevokation pull in a lot of influences, but really, they sound like themselves and no one else. Powerful, atmospheric, saw-edged Death Metal that takes no prisoners, and yet still manages to be artful and surprising. An excellent debut.