One dark night, I crept into the Ripple Theater quiet as a mouse. I loaded up on some warm and buttery popcorn, pushed the red leather couch strategically between the wall speakers to achieve maximum sonic pleasure, dug beneath the cushions and found some stale Mike & Ike’s left over from one of our many guests, and fired up this DVD from Polish death metal specialists, Dies Irae. I thought I was alone this chilly winter night, but lo and behold, I believe we have a four legged and furry squatter in our midst. I hope the lil critter likes death metal.Captured live at the 2005 edition of the Metalmania Festival in Katowice, Poland, this DVD finally sees the light of day. A little back history on the band . . . Dies Irae was made up of members from bands such as Vader, Decapitated, and Sceptic, releasing three albums before their drummer, Doc, passed away due to still unknown causes. So, in honoring their fallen band mate, Dies Irae has given their rabid fans a fresh piece of for their collections by releasing a sterling capsule of visual history.
I don’t know the first thing about cinematography, moving making, or visual effects, but what I do know is that when me and my new found furry friend sat back to watch this video, we were blown away by the crispness of the imagery. The cameras easily shifted between the four members of the band and caught them during all of the finest metal moments. I was captivated by the stage presence of bassist/vocalist Novy. Left leg propped on the top of the monitors while both belting out the most vicious sounding snarls in metaldom and plucking away at the bass strings with the ferocity of a man buried alive . . . trying in vain to dig his way through six feet of soil.
Dies Irae is a band that one might categorize as a technical death metal outfit, and I’d have to agree with them. The music is truly intense with violent swings of tempo and forearm straining pick action. Guitarists Hiro and Mauser are god-like in their performances, as they trade off these incredible, heart stopping solos with the same ease as I have passing a beer to Racer. If guitar playing were a specialty in some armed forces, this guitar wielding tandem would be the Eagle Force, Green Beret, Seals, and Ninja all wrapped into one. They play in an efficient manner, never going overboard with visual flamboyance, simply getting in and getting it done. But what makes them stand out from the rest of the guitar gurus is that they play with a subtle sense of emotion and melody. I could sit back and listen to these cats for hours.This live collection spotlights a handful of tracks from their 2005 masterpiece, Sculpture of Stone, as well as select tracks from their previous releases, Immolated and The Sin War. I was fairly familiar with the Sculpture of Stone material since my copy of the DVD came with the full length CD. Bonus! Included on the DVD is a bootleg concert, which almost looks like it was recorded from someone’s cell phone, but with stronger quality. The sound on the boot is solid as well.
After viewing this collection, I’m sold that the world lost a hell of a musical outfit, even if it’s for a temporary time. Dies Irae is not your standard fair of death metal. They bring a semblance of style to the all out pummeling that I’m having a hard time comparing to any other band. They’re kind of like that smooth dressed assassin who is all suave as he sidles up to his helpless victim and whacks them with a smile. Brilliantly captivating music, though I know it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s definitely a piece of music that can’t be forgotten and left to wither on the vine. If you can find the deluxe edition with a copy of Sculpture of Stone, pick that one up. The album is amazing and will certainly blow your mind. Plus, it will give you fair warning of what you’ll witness on the big screen.
With that, I’ll let Senor Raton kill the lights and I’ll call it a good night. - Pope JTE
Buy here: The Art of the Endless Creation
Comments