Demonic Resurrection are definitely one of the biggest Metal
acts to emerge from India and have been going strong for more than 14 years
now. “The Demon King” is their fourth full length album. Over the years the
band has seen many lineup changes, but is still going strong.
Coming to the album, it is a masterpiece and the best work
the band has put out till date. I don’t know what it exactly is, is it the
extreme riffing, the amazing synth or the continuous drum attack, but this
album is irresistible. To add to that is the amazing cover art, done by Michal
'Xaay' Loranc who also designed the artwork for their last album “The Return to
Darkness” (and has worked with artists like BEHEMOTH!, Vader, Necrophagist,
etc.). I feel the album cover is good enough to draw in new fans on its own!
The Demon King is a nice mix of death metal, with some
dashes of symphonic black metal, and a few power metal riffs thrown in between!
It’s nearly impossible to categorize this album, so I go with the bands
self-created ‘Demonic Metal’ tag. The influences of Dimmu Borgir, Emperor,
Death and even bands like Iced Earth and Symphony X are visible through the
album. When going with such wide style of music, artists tend to create a
messed up result, which is kind of in no-man (genre) territory, but Demonic
Resurrection carry it forward with grace and bring out a perfect amalgamation.
“The Promise of Never” is one of the standout track, as it
kicks off with a keyboard solo, before going into a symphonic drive. The death
and clean vocals seep in seamlessly. It’s one of the slower songs on the album,
with amazing solos thrown in between. The track showcases the perfect use of
symphonic keys, not overdoing it at any point.
“Death Desolation and Despair” defines the sound on the new
album, and hence was properly chosen as the first single of the new album. The
blasting drum attack with the symphonic keys create a deadly combo, which
brings out a unique heaviness in the sound. The guttural vocals give this track
the perfect black/death metal vibe that Demonic Resurrection is known for. The
breakdowns midway add their own evil charisma. A perfect battle cry!
“Shattered Equilibrium” is another track which leaves its
mark on the listener. It has guitar riffs, vocals, keys, drum beats all flying
in to knock you out! A very unique composition, and it stands out. It has the
perfect mix of black, death and power metal, with a grandiose cinematic feel to
it. The solo by Daniel Rego (he wrote the complete song) is one of the best on
the album!
“Even Gods do Fall” ends the album on a high note (There is an
outro track ‘The End Paradox’). Some great hammering work on the drums by Virendra
Kaith, accompanied by some of the best use of clean vocals on the album. The
power metal, guitar solos also give the album a good ending. Being a conceptual
album, the lyric work is strong throughout, but these lines stuck with me for
quite a while after giving it a spin:
“Victorious, the
Demon King Stands Tall,
How Can You Still Believe, When Even Gods do Fall? Do You Still Believe Your Temple is More Than Just Four Walls?”
Overall, Demonic Resurrection have delivered a wonderful,
engaging album that delivers on all fronts. The songwriting and fluidity of the
band has evolved over the years, and the album is a testament to that. The band
has definitely changed a lot musically compared to the previous works. The production style (think Emperor) also lends a helping hand.
In conclusion, ‘The Demon King’ is a wonderful addition to
the bands catalogue. Once hooked on to it, you will keep playing it because of
the wonderful fusion of various metal subgenre’s and the evil ride through the
songs of the tale of The Demon King. If you’re already a fan of the band you’re
going to love the new record, and if you have missed out till this point you’re
probably going to end up being one after a single spin of the album.
9/10 The album can be brought on Flipkart (India) or PlasticHead (Worldwide), digital version is available on iTunes and Bandcamp. Reviewed By: Vidur Paliwal
