THE UNHOLY - Ash Wednesday

Retro Sabbath influenced Doom metal with Occult overtones.

Earl Root/Root Cellar Records THE UNHOLY - As Below So Above

Inadvertently jumping on the 'retro' bandwagon by not changing their musical style since the inception of the band over ten years ago. For fans of Candlemass, Witch Finder General and Saint Vitus. Sword Metal meets Doom and Gloom.

Earl Root/Root Cellar Records

 

The Unholy "Ash Wednesday" (1999 Scylding Music)
1. Hexe
2. Bloody Earth
3. Osculum Infame
4. Goddamned
5. 10th of May
6. Heaven's Burning
7. The Portrait
8. The Pact
9. Shrine
10. Raven of Dispersion (Roots II re-make)

The Unholy's second full-length "Ash Wednesday" pretty much continues where
their debut album left. The music is still dirty sounding dark heavy metal
straight from the 80's which especially warms up my heart since I used to grow
up listening to bands who sounded like this. Again the production is really
primitive but I believe that a better production would have ruined the
atmosphere of this recording. I do tend to compare bands in my reviews and there
is no better band to compare The Unholy to than the October 31. Both bands roots
are quite evident but there is nothing to be ashmed of. 80's did produce the
best heavy metal ever made and I doubt that any of todays bands can ever top
that fact.
In "Ash Wednesday" everything is better in every aspect than their debut. The
songs are slightly more rocking and catchy, the production is still muddy yet
slightly clearer giving the songs an extra kick. If you get used to the vocals
which aren't from a professional trained throat you realize that somehow they
strangely fit to the music. The band has taken quite a bold step by covering one
of the most underrated King Diamond tracks "Shrine" (which happens to be one of
my all time fave King Diamond tunes). What's scary is, that the the covers
manages to sound like it was a demo version done by the master King Diamon
himself! The vocals are really close to that high pitched voice I thought no one
could ever imitate. The dark feeling is there and the sound is almost similar
than what's on "The Fatal Portrait". Good job boys !
The Unholy plays music that will never become popular again nor will they ever
make it big, but I like they underground spirit and sound you rarely hear these
days in the field of heavy metal. Raise your fists and bang your head !

Rating: 8/10
- Mega Sun Jan 9 13:27:15 EET 2000

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