Alien Gods

Lunar Blackened Death is the debut EP from Arunachal-based extreme metal outfit Alien Gods. The album is a concrete manifestation of straightforward old-school death-thrash with vocalist Olik Boko’s guttural growls occasionally wandering into impressive black metal screeches. The band attempts to draw on the vigour of bands like Cannibal Corpse and Six Feet Under, though not always managing the same conviction. The EP opens with ”˜Animal Party,’ a song that while sharply written retains some unnecessary slapdash riffing and solos. Boko’s vocal theatrics are the star of this album, and his craft on tracks like ”˜Soul Destruction’ and ”˜Mortuary in Hell’ showcase considerable potential, slipping between growls and screeches with equal dexterity.

The mood of this album is well maintained throughout ”“ it’s somehow both airy and cavernous. The band also throws in the occasional twist ”“ a bass run on ”˜Dead and Decayed,’ a black-metal-esque atmospheric interlude on ”˜Soul Destruction’ ”“ that keeps the music sufficiently engaging. But there are also missteps like the plaintive vocal chant at the beginning of ”˜Soul Destruction’ that seems oddly out of place. And though competently written, played and produced, a lot of the songs in this CD are not memorable, lacking the recall value needed to make a lasting impression. Here’s hoping a better follow-up is in the making.

Key Tracks: ”˜Animal Party,’ ”˜Lunar Blackened Death