Satyros - Satyros
(Independent, 2011)

After the success of their latest album “Riven”, German 3-piece Satyros have not only decided to re-release their debut album, they're also giving it away for free!!!

Now I know every band has to start somewhere, but the progression the band has shown from their 2007 debut to 2011’s “Riven” is unbelievable. If you compare the more Technical, Melodic and Symphonic elements of “Riven” to the simplistic (and I mean very simple), repetitive and droning self-titled debut, it’s like chalk and cheese.

It’s obvious they were attempting the cold/raw black metal thing, but for a start the production is too clean and the guitar tone sounds like someone playing a comb and tracing paper. In fact, when they speed things up, musically it sounds like a MIDI File or the soundtrack to some old 8-Bit Console game.

Whilst there are a few moments of brilliance (“Loyal to the Crown of Frost” is a definite stand-out track), as a whole it simply doesn’t work for me at all.

Download "Satyros" @ http://satyros.bandcamp.com/album/satyro

- 4.5 -

Chris Rogers