Originally written by Erik Thomas.
Synopsis:
There’s a lot of reason for me to feign liking this five song demo: former Metal Review scribe Alex De Moller is on guitars (who also does session guitars for Mithras), they are from England, and they recently signed to Galactic Records, the label owned by Mithras’ Leon Macy. Plus they also threatened to pillage my town if I didn’t do the review soon! What/s not to love? However, based on the music alone there’s more than enough to truly like about this five song demo that got them the Galactic deal.
Review:
London’s Scythian (named after an ancient war mongering tribe) play primal yet listenable blackened war/death/thrash metal (Forest of Impaled comes to mind) with a plethora of classic influences ranging from Sodom, Bathory, Kreator and some classic era death metal (namely Asphx, and early Pestilence, especially vocally). Scythian are competent and confident, though need to tighten up a bit (which I imagine they will for their Galactic debut).
The best tracks of the six are the ones that deliver rousing, furious war metal such as standout “Shattered Idols,” which features some nice subtle Hammerheart era Bathory –ish chants/choirs and superb, almost classical inspired war marching. “Pray For War” and the title track also bring the same sort of Hammerheart meets The Rack imagery as the demo’s other standout tracks and the style I’d like to see have a heavier presence on future material.
Where they don’t sound quite as good is when they are less structured and begin to sound a bit like the label owner’s band, such as the echo-y solos of opener “Astral Assassins”, though it does have some chants also, they seem almost zombified groans. “Spires to Ashes” is also a bit too straightforward after the great two preceding songs. And of course, this thing is a self released demo, so it doesn’t exactly sound great, but it does highlight the band’s raw intensity and skill which is especially useful for the demo-closing cover of Bathory’s “Total Holocaust” (ironically my least favorite track from Blood Fire Death).
I’ll be curious to see if Scythian can make a Sarpanitum like splash in the UK extreme metal scene with their debut record, but I hope that the British metal media (i.e Kerrrrang) doesn’t get a hold of them and give them the kiss of death by touting them as the next big thing.
