Crimson Relic - Purgatory's Reign (1996)

   On the ruins of the short lived band Divine Eve, another even shorter living project was found, named as Crimson Relic.
   Divine Eve was kind of modern in it's time and included various influences, but meanwhile the age of death metal ended and as some of these influences were kept in Crimson Relic. "Purgatory's Reign" sounds nostalgic already (And only few years passed!). This impression was increased by strong Celtic Frost references in the sound and some old school Swedish death metal influences. Compared to Divine Eve the doom metal touch reduced to minimal and the grinding ambitions were completely gone. The themes are the perfect mix of the simple effectiveness of old Celtic Frost and the primitive, rude musical toolbars of Swedish death. These two functions together very well, and occasionally some other classical '80s styled thrash/speed metal riffings and short solo parts showing up and leaving no doubts that the album was really made to be some sort of musical relic. A late came relic of course, but "Purgatory's Reign" evoking the birth of extreme metal, when the style or genre determinations were not so evident and not even necessary to use.