Unholy Archangel - The Demos (2003)

Though they've never been the most heavily active band amidst the Greek underground, Unholy Archangel are by far one of the most crude and menacing outfits in that scene, forming in the mid 90s to create some of the most godawful racket possible. The novelty here is that, despite their primitive compositions redolent of N. American beasts like Conqueror and Blasphemy, they are one of the most thorough when exploring their own country's historic and mythic elements. Strangely enough, I have gotten the impression that they have devolved in an 'inverse' chronological fashion. Little of their material is heavily structured, but their demos and EP sound quite a bit better than their 2010 full-length Obsessed by War, which came after quite a gulf in their career.

As for the demos, both the original Unholy Archangel (1997) and Archgoat Incantation (1998) tapes are collected here with the material they contributed to the 3-Way Spit of Violence (2000) with the French Kult and Canadian Lust, both of which are nearly as grimy as Unholy Archangel themselves. The Demos is 38 minutes and 18 tracks of archaic filth likely to drive just about any audiophile insane, which is probably a compliment in this case. Despite the utter repulsion of their black metal material, they also write up some decent ambient/ritual pieces to dress up the festivities, which creates this enormous contrast in fidelity. However, the band are not bad at experimenting, like they do with the depressing, bluesy guitars that inaugurate "Warfare Mania" or the synth outro "The Majestic Dawn of a New Golden Age". When it comes to the metallic content, though, the Greeks are admittedly sloppy, crashing along with abandon, likely keeping some of their rougher takes of the material.

Every now and then they'll implement a whip-like lead guitar sequence, but most of this is straight forward charging black metal which will hold appeal to only the most masochistic genre listener. The s/t demo uses a drum machine, but the remainder doesn't. Several tracks, "Talos", "Possessed by Hecate" and so forth are woven with a few clinical guitar patterns that hint at something more interesting, but these pan out into only messy chord sequences that seem to lose momentum. I wouldn't say that the musicians lack proficiency, but they do not seem intent on complexity or performing flawless riff passages. As a result, The Demos manages to escape the utter suck-pile on its charisma alone, a mirror into the roots of devoted Hellenic barbarians who seek no more than to revel in their primacy, and a near complete collection of their formative material.

Verdict: Indifference [5.25/10]

http://www.myspace.com/unholyarchangel666

Unholy Archangel - The Wrath of Kosmosistis (2003)

Around about the time they released a few compilations of their old demo material, Greek's unholiest black metal dirt merchants also gathered their strength for a new assault. Anyone familiar with their more recent album Obsessed by War, or the demo material will know what to expect here: crude, spewing streams of disheveled black metal in the vein of Blasphemy or the grimier Scandinavian recordings of the early 90s. Despite that, though, The Wrath of Kosmosistis is undoubtedly the most structured and polished work I've heard from Unholy Archangel. The songs feel like actual songs rather than vomit splattered upon a tape reel, and though they're not necessarily strong, they get the point across.

Like their demos, you get this enormous contrast between the clean sounding ambient pieces and metal content. "Zeus Worship" features some flutes with a narrative ritual, and "Desecration of Judeochristianism" is a swelling if monotonous marriage of synthesizer and low pitch male choir voices. The black metal tracks "Storming Attack of the Makedonians", "Makedomonions War Supremity", "Release the Typhon" and "The Katastrofik Wrath of Kosmosistis" are more or less one trick ponies, blasting along messily while the growling, tortured vocals drone out the band's Hellenic pride for ancient violent. A few of the tunes feature breakdowns with muted riffs that feel like an attempt to shift the tempo, but these are quite weak, really, and like a lot of acts in this mold, they could use a greater level of variation when composing, because the faster black riffs just don't amount to anything memorable.

Still, I can't say that this is necessarily a bad recording, it's just trite and typical of the deep underground of the genre, where black, death and raw thrash all tend to blend into the same category of extremity. The production is nothing to write home about, but if you've heard some of their other work, then it's a step up. I love the concept of Hellenic war metal, I just wish it were delivered in a more interesting context.

Verdict: Indifference [5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/unholyarchangel666

Unholy Archangel - Obsessed by War (2010)

It's always exciting to hear a Greek extreme metal band write a conceptual album based on their own culture. In my opinion, this does not occur quite enough...with most of the better known bands only skirting the subject, but nevertheless, Unholy Archangel have unleashed an album here which pays heed to the ancient Greek city states and the god of war, Ares. The cover art and logo here are excellent, and the fact the band have been around for 13+ years are releasing their debut full-length after a number of demos, splits, EPs and compilations certainly builds anticipation. It also bears note that vocalist Iapetos 666 was a former member of Greek pagan black hearts Kawir.

Unfortunately, the concept and the few psychedelic or ambient interludes on this album are about the only thing Unholy Archangel is bringing to the table, because the black metal element itself is so damn noisy and turbulent that I could often barely make out the notes of the guitars. Whether this is intentional or not is moot; Obsessed By War is a shitstorm of blasting beats, grunting death vocals and noisy feedback which tries to pass as guitar and truly grates on the nerves. Since many bands today don't require any budget at all to produce decent sounding material, I can't really think of any excuse, save for the fact the band actually desired this entirely hell-fueled, raw approach the material. But it's not the lack of polish that does me in, it is simply the lack of memorable songs created by the muddle guitar tone. There are riffs here, and even melodies, but they become so mired in the disgusting distortion that you are hard pressed to discern them from the bleak surroundings, and the drums or vocals are not enough on their own to immerse you into the slaughterscape.

I would try and offer a highlight reel for this record, but aside from intros like the synthesized flutes of "Hymn to Ares", the warped electro pulse of "King War", or the narrated ambiance of εκ "δωδώνης μεμάντευται", there is not much worth mentioning. There are a pair of hilarious fast and blasphemous tracks, each only :12 long, titled "Behold the Nuclear Thunder of the Almighty Lord Zeus" and "The Prehistoric Invasion of Hellenes in India under Dionysus Command", and the obvious gimmick here is that you can listen to the song in less time than it takes pronouncing the title, but I can't qualify them as good. Perhaps the best of the rambling, full-length metal tracks would be the closer "Stench of judeocrhistianism", which somehow manages to conjure at least some level of sonic architecture, though I still hated the guitar tone.

I enjoy a challenge every now and then, and I enjoy raw black metal performed at its most lucid extremes, but Obsessed by War just doesn't offer a glint of hope that would shift my disposition. Considering the very limited pressing through a label known as Kill Yourself Productions, and the utter impulsive nature of the blasting, growling sounds within, I'd have to assume the band meant for this to appeal to only the most insane, horror groping fiends who wish for the most vile and destructive music on the face of the Earth. I'll grant the band that. Often I'd count myself among such malefic forced, but at heart, I'm still a metal guy...I like good guitar riffs, great atmosphere, and good songwriting. This album fails at 2 out of those 3, and only teeters on having an atmosphere worth mentioning.

Highlights: everything up to actually hearing the album.

Verdict: Fail [3.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/unholyarchangel666