Arghoslent’s reputation precedes them. The French death metal outfit has garnered notoriety for their blend of sonic brutality and blatantly white supremacist lyrics. “Resuscitation of the Revanchists,” their 2023 release, offers another helping of pulverizing riffs and guttural vocals, but the hateful ideology continues to be a major stumbling block. Let’s dissect the music itself, track by track:
- Infiltration (Intro): A brief instrumental intro sets the tone with a barrage of blast beats and tremolo-picked guitars, promising sonic carnage to come.
- Iron Will: The album explodes with this high-octane assault. Tightly wound riffing and inhuman drumming provide the foundation for Asterios’ characteristically guttural vocals. Musically, it’s a potent display of old-school death metal fury.
- Siege of the Revanchists: The relentless assault continues with “Siege of the Revanchists.” The song features a catchy mid-tempo groove punctuated by bursts of speed, showcasing the band’s ability to write memorable riffs within their brutal soundscape.
- Sublime Purification: This track throws in a curveball with a surprisingly melodic guitar lead. While a brief respite from the sonic onslaught, it doesn’t stray far from the overall formula.
- Spirit of revanchism (French: “Esprit de Revanche”): The title track delivers exactly what you’d expect – a relentless barrage of blast beats and down-tuned riffs. The song title, a French term meaning “spirit of revenge,” hints at the underlying ideology that permeates the album’s lyrics.
- Slaughtering the Subversives: The song title is another indicator of the repugnant themes at play. Musically, it’s a continuation of the album’s established brutality.
- Extermination Mandate: The relentless aggression continues with this track. Technically proficient drumming and a swirling vortex of guitar work showcase the musicianship beneath the hateful message.
- Forced Assimilation: The monotonous sonic assault begins to wear thin by this point. While the musicianship is undeniable, the lack of dynamic variation hinders the listening experience.
- Colonial Cleansing: The hateful ideology reaches its peak with this track title. Musically, it’s another brutal death metal onslaught, but the lyrical content makes it difficult to separate the art from the artist.
- Resurgence (Outro): A brief instrumental outro concludes the album with a final burst of blast beats, leaving a lingering sense of unease.
Arghoslent – Resuscitation of the Revanchists is a technically proficient album marred by its hateful ideology. The music itself is a relentless display of old-school death metal fury, with tight riffing, pummeling drums, and guttural vocals. However, the repugnant lyrical content glorifying white supremacy makes it an unpleasant listening experience.
For fans of pure sonic brutality who can stomach the hateful content, “Resuscitation of the Revanchists” might hold some appeal. However, for most listeners, the music’s impact is severely diminished by the abhorrent ideology it promotes. There are plenty of other death metal bands out there delivering similar sonic punishment without the baggage of hate.
Overall Score: 2.5 out of 5
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