Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Scourge, The
Released: 2008
Length: 40:45
Rating: 4/5
The Scourge are a young band that formed in 2005 under the name Necromancer, led by founding members Matjaž Parfant, Primož Brezovnik and Blaž Prusnik. A few gigs followed, a few lineup changes, and in 2007 the rename to The Scourge. In two years the metallers from Rečica have swept across Slovenian stages, and this August they put out their first demo, From the Ashes.
The first thing you notice is the serious length of the demo: it doesn’t stop until nine tracks and forty minutes later, so on their very first official release The Scourge already deliver enough material for a full album. The quantity is there, but what about the quality? Don’t worry, there’s more than enough of that too! The opener, Through the Ashes, shows off exactly what The Scourge are about. From the very first second it hurls us into a storm of dynamic death/thrash metal, now and then joined by touches of progressive metal and dynamic groove sections. Your attention is grabbed fast by the agile, meticulously crafted thrash riffs, which the two guitars weave together inventively and with great effect, complementing each other perfectly at the same time. Just as spectacular are the epic, polished solos that Matjaž and Primož fire back and forth, meeting in dueling clashes and harmonized leads. It’s also nice to hear the calmer acoustic intro before the hellish march in the instrumental Silent Death Awaits, or the almost classical guitar intermezzo Last Sign of Hope. All nine tracks are baroquely lavish with infectious melodic moments that lodge themselves in your ears right away. Jernej’s lively bass lines keep the sound full, while the drums provide massive transitions. The dynamics get an extra boost from the two-throat vocals, Jernej’s and Matjaž’s. While the latter handles raw, aggressive growling that’s still clear and understandable, the former takes care of the excellent groovy parts, which at least in Through the Shadows recall the angry spewing of Tom Araya (Slayer). No matter how well the music is written, a bad production can ruin the whole thing. But this is exactly where The Scourge can pat themselves on the back with a clear conscience, because the demo sounds fantastic production-wise, especially when I remind you that the album was recorded entirely by the band themselves, in a garage. The sound is clear and full, the guitars are sharp and crystal clear, the vocals are just loud enough and intelligible. The bass could maybe have been a bit louder and the drums, especially the cymbals, could have used a little more attention. Still, From the Ashes can be a real lesson in DIY production, and plenty of local bands could learn a thing or two from The Scourge. You won’t find a dull moment on From the Ashes, as the songs are built to be complex and dynamic, and there’s no shortage of moments where a solo surprises you in the first seconds of a track. What might otherwise belong somewhere in the third quarter of a song and mark its peak gets a new role and place here, and in the more intricate, well-thought-out song structures a pinch of progressive metal definitely sparkles through.
From the Ashes is an excellent “debut” from a band that has set the bar high for a proper studio debut album. I have no doubt they’ll live up to it and rise from the fire once again like the Phoenix on the cover. Although I’d recommend listening to the demo anywhere and anytime, I’ll just warn you that listening on a portable player could cause a spontaneous mosh pit on Čopova, and listening in the car some stage diving into the back seats.
Line-up
Matjaž Parfant – guitar, vocals
Jernej Štorgelj – bass, vocals
Primož Brezovnik – guitar
Blaž Prusnik – drums
Production
Matjaž Parfant and Jernej Štorgelj
Track list
1. Through the Shadows
2. From the Ashes
3. Lies
4. Last Sign of Hope
5. B.L.A.C.K.
6. Silent Death Awaits
7. Devil’s Hands
8. Stains of Hate
9. Journey
