Under the Pledge of Secrecy - Black Hole Mass Evolution review
Under the Pledge of Secrecy - Black Hole Mass Evolution review
Under the Pledge of Secrecy (Aachen, Germany)
Genre: Deathcore/Death metal
Album: Black Hole Mass Evolution (2014)
Release date: November, 24th 2014
Oh boy! Is there anything better than a band with a killer debut album? Under The Pledge of Secrecy is a young band coming from the royal city of Charlemagne, Aachen. These guys' sound cannot be labeled by a single word, 'cause they really sound all over the place.
With first notes of their album opener, you'll know that these guys are not to be messed around with. The song is as furious as the mighty Achilles himself. Groovy riffs, technical licks, monstrous drumming - everything is there, compressed in a song which lasts less than 3 minutes. The song that follows, Convulsed is even more raw and brutal than the previous one, even though that may sound impossible. What I also like about this band is that they always seem to find the perfect balance between chaotic, noisy brute force on the one side, and melodic, catchy pats on the other. Speaking of melody, the theme in the middle of the song irresistibly reminds of Annihilator's Alison Hell. Rise of the Titans' noisy approach will make your ears focused on the whole thing even more. The band is just pounding the hell out of their instruments. Even though Arthur E.'s vocals are monstrous sounding, they never seem to tire out the listener. In One Eyed God's Prophecy guitars and drums dual attack will make you feel as if the band is a giant monster crushing and slamming everything on its path. The Cryptopsy-like riff will definitely be the cup of tea for every death metal fan. Under the Pledge of Secrecy's music is so tight that it would be nice to see if they can pull it off live as good as in the studio. Each song on the record is filled with numerous and unpredictable twists and turns, that give freshness to the overall product. The next tune on the list, Black Hole Mass Evolution's opening riff reminds me of Suffocation's Dysmal Dream. Noisy licks are dominant in this one! Killer stuff! You just have to hear it to believe it! The wickedness of Smith Island is hard to be reached. With this one, Thomas and Thorsten have proven to be pretty talented in terms of composition. The Breakheaven is a tiny break from all the chaos that the band was channeling through their sound. And it's a pitty it doesn't last longer, 'cause these clean jazzy solos sound absolutely magnificent. The band is soon after back on the road of destruction with truly unique sounding piece of art called Black Forest. For the first time, black metal influences can be heard on the record. The chorus in this one is catchy as fuck! What I really like about this band is that guitar solos aren't omnipresent and when there are solos, they are executed in a masterful way.The album is closed by an amazing tune - The First Sight. This one is the longest and one of the finest songs on the record which easily stands out from the rest of the catalogue. And it's even pretty melodic for the band's standards, including the solos.
If your ears are in need of chaos, don't miss Under the Pledge of Secrecy's Black Hole Mass Evolution! These guys have some good stuff to offer. I guess there is bright career in front of them. Even though the album was released in 2014, it still sounds fresh and new.
Rating: 8.5/10
