When I received this album in the mail, I wasn't sure what to expect. Let me first say, praise is due the Finnish postal system - I got it 5 days from the postmark! Now that that is out of the way...I had heard some songs by ALL before, but was not overly sure about them, categorically speaking. If I were to label this stuff, I would put it as Blackened Death/Thrash; that is to say, I would classify it as Death/Thrash, but only musically - lyrically it totally transcends Death metal.
Knowing a bit of the background of one of the members, I figured the lyrics and music would be inapproachably dense and seemingly chaotic, with an order only the most esoterically-literate would understand/appreciate. Not so. Moreover, it is also not actually dark, though you could possibly so appellate the music if from the point-of-view that looking into the unknown is "dark."
If you like riff-tastic, decidedly groovy (in the sense of finding one and milking it) and definitely classic-style Death/Thrash, then this is an album for you. Their sound is huge and imminent. If the album has a hindrance, it is the production quality. It is by no means horrendous, and it is probably just a sign of "demo" status, but it doesn't seem to "fit" the style of music; it deserves better production than featured, and hopefully will be addressed in the future. Regardless, the songs are complete, which is a rare thing amongst thrash of any sort these days, much less the new, very limited though it is, Death/Thrash one hears these days. Perhaps most amazing, though, is a seeming, though not exclusive, focus on the music itself, as opposed to just the lyrics and the aggression inherent in this style.
By the title, which I find the most "regrettable" part of this release, one might wonder how much of this is indeed tongue-in-cheek; however, I can say I recommend this one for fans of the classics in this nigh-dead subgenre, especially, but also fans of music that is heavy.
A second opinion by Nova
This review signal my triumphant return from an internet misadventure. The first thing you should keep in mind is that All's pH:ALL-US is a demo, with all that implies. The production is not that great. Everything is discernible, but the drums and especially the guitars and the guitar tone suffer, which is a shame. The tone lacks depth, but thankfully the melodies make up for it and pH:ALL-US is chock-full of great melodies, that are very catchy. I even found myself humming the riff from The Vengeance of Martyr de Molay several times.
While there are many great melodies to be found, the solos are quite bland, though short enough not to detract from the experience.
The vocals are quite good, despite being thrashy most of the time (Daughter of Sunset being an exception, with its growl/signing). I usually hate the vocal stylings of thrash bands, but VVV Mortem pulls them off quite well. I found that the first half of Eden featured very weak vocals, but during the second half, Mortem really ups his game. The demo reeks of thrash, yet there are definitely Death Metal elements to be found. A heavier and deeper guitar tone, as well as proper drums would definitely help.
While the guitars and drums sound underwhelming, the bass and synth work sound really great. The lyrics deserve mention as well, as they are unlike most metal bands out there. Dabbling in the occult is not a strength I possess, but I can tell that Azoneris (Who wrote all of ALL's lyrics) does. A lot of symbolism is to be found (Not all of which I understand), as well as hidden messages, which was quite cool, but I will leave that for you to find. The lyrics are intelligent and a joy to read, also because the message seems to be one of empowerment, although I'm not sure I understood all of it, it doesn't require the same amount of interpretation as Behemoth, for example.
I don't know who ALL were inspired by or hoped to sound like, but I definitely had the same feelings as when I hear Borknagar or Golden Dawn. I hope they will take that as a compliment, as those are not bad bands to aspire to. I wish these guys the best of luck, and I hope you will check them out, because despite the production (Which is to be expected; It is a demo after all), here lies massive potential.
A second opinion by Nova
This review signal my triumphant return from an internet misadventure. The first thing you should keep in mind is that All's pH:ALL-US is a demo, with all that implies. The production is not that great. Everything is discernible, but the drums and especially the guitars and the guitar tone suffer, which is a shame. The tone lacks depth, but thankfully the melodies make up for it and pH:ALL-US is chock-full of great melodies, that are very catchy. I even found myself humming the riff from The Vengeance of Martyr de Molay several times.
While there are many great melodies to be found, the solos are quite bland, though short enough not to detract from the experience.
The vocals are quite good, despite being thrashy most of the time (Daughter of Sunset being an exception, with its growl/signing). I usually hate the vocal stylings of thrash bands, but VVV Mortem pulls them off quite well. I found that the first half of Eden featured very weak vocals, but during the second half, Mortem really ups his game. The demo reeks of thrash, yet there are definitely Death Metal elements to be found. A heavier and deeper guitar tone, as well as proper drums would definitely help.
While the guitars and drums sound underwhelming, the bass and synth work sound really great. The lyrics deserve mention as well, as they are unlike most metal bands out there. Dabbling in the occult is not a strength I possess, but I can tell that Azoneris (Who wrote all of ALL's lyrics) does. A lot of symbolism is to be found (Not all of which I understand), as well as hidden messages, which was quite cool, but I will leave that for you to find. The lyrics are intelligent and a joy to read, also because the message seems to be one of empowerment, although I'm not sure I understood all of it, it doesn't require the same amount of interpretation as Behemoth, for example.
I don't know who ALL were inspired by or hoped to sound like, but I definitely had the same feelings as when I hear Borknagar or Golden Dawn. I hope they will take that as a compliment, as those are not bad bands to aspire to. I wish these guys the best of luck, and I hope you will check them out, because despite the production (Which is to be expected; It is a demo after all), here lies massive potential.
