It could be said that the difference lied in the lyrical concept, cause it could be pulled on Hail of Bullets maybe, but that's not too convincing, since Asphyx also didn't lack Worldwar II related topics. The main reason why multiply bands should be formed that are basically the same in style and concept is different imaginations between the band members. And if someone might say that Asphyx worked the best in their early period, when Eric Daniels, Bob Bagchus and Martin van Drunen played together, this album could be the perfect evidence that shows how correct it might be. Grand Supreme Blood Court is exactly how Asphyx was in the early '90s and how it should have been after. Something was definitely missing from Asphyx after Martin von Drunen was quit, and after the band regrouped and he remained it's only old member, Asphyx have become it's own nostalgia band and kept releasing forgetable albums, that might recall the sound and feeling of Asphyx, but lacks it's spirit. That's something that also any other new waved band could do (like Skeletal Remains for instance), so except the financial reasons (cause Asphyx successfully broke in into the mainstream scene too - after they've become forgetable... how typical) it's not really clear why it is a must to pull down a once cultic name by turning it into another generic cliché. But back to the point: Grand Supreme Blood Court's one and only album has everything that lacks from all other Asphyxes (Asphyx, Soulburn, Hail of Bullets) since a long while: the extremely noisy, slow heaviness, that only by itself is able to pull down the listener to the most obscure depths. And doing that without the assistence of any frenetic guitar solos, catchy melodies or extreme intensity. The combination of medium thrash speed frequently switched by extended doomy slow downs, and funeral theme-compatible simple melodies completed by Mr. Drunen's well known iconic suffocating growls, creates the atmosphere that became something essential in the extreme underground. And even if one of these features are missing, Mr. Daniels' and Mr. Bagchus' themes or Mr. Drunen's vocals, this just couldn't work, no matter how it's desired in the other Asphyxes. And if it wasn't intentional to peel off another skin from something that worked well before, there shouldn't be any reason to keep referring to that in different bands and music projects. However, under Grand Supreme Blood Court they were able to recall the same genuine features on the level they did long ago under Asphyx, and with a very few exceptions that's something missing from nearly all big returns.
No comments:
Post a Comment