Originally written by Jason Jordan.
The members of Old Man’s Child and Dimmu Borgir are so incestuous it’s astounding. Plus, I’ve always thought that the two aforementioned bands share so many characteristics that they practically walk hand-in-hand with one another, because after all, rarely does Dimmu Borgir get mentioned without Old Man’s Child quickly springing to the speaker’s lips. The mastermind behind Vermin – and every other OMC release for that matter – has returned with nine tracks that I’d like to peg as runoff from his main band. Funnily enough, while the more financially lucrative group were regurgitating Stormblast in order to finally make some money off of that particular recording, the guys at hand were busy recording the pinnacle of their unit’s career.
My collection boasts every album by Galder and company, though the last two studio efforts were weak, forgettable, and simply lackluster. However, I was truly fulfilled by 1998’s Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion, but that enjoyment could be partially attributed to Gene Hoglan’s (Strapping Young Lad) presence behind the drumkit. Yes, in observance of the standards set previously, another legendary drummer helms the rhythmical backbone this time around: Reno Killerich. Speaking of the music itself, the tunes haven’t departed one bit from the formulas incorporated into the past excursions. I know the sound closely resembles that of the underwhelming sister outing known as In Defiance of Existence, but Vermin is fueled by tenacity, precise rhythms, and haunting melodies. Like always, Galder poured a lot of moroseness into the mix. Still, even though I acknowledge that this is the band’s finest achievement, I tire easily and rarely stay on for the whole ride. I find myself trotting down the exit ramp before the forty minutes expire, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does indeed say something about the disc’s penchant for loosening its grip as it progresses. I prefer to be held tightly so that I simply have to pay attention, or suffer the consequences of missing out on something brilliant. Old Man’s Child, it seems, just don’t have the ability to captivate for long periods of time.
Despite a sketchy past, the quality of Vermin isn’t nearly as erratic as Galder’s sleep schedule. These are exemplary chunks of music, for what they try to achieve, and not even their predecessors can hold a proverbial candle to songs such as “Enslaved and Condemned” and “The Plague of Sorrow”; they surely aren’t on the verge of innovation, though they’re strong showings nevertheless. If you like – or don’t mind – commercialized Norwegian black metal, then Old Man’s Child will treat you about as well as can be expected for those who profess undying love for all things evil. Infernal hails, folks, infernal hails.
