It's been a while since I've been so excited about anything that could be remotely classified as a recent recording (I realize this is already a couple years old and consists of a lot of re-recorded old material). Stylistically nothing has really changed since The Heralds of Oblivion days. The updated production value is most notable in the guitars, which are a lot more distinct, though in some spots I miss the evil aura of the murky demo production. It definitely fit the kind of death metal they were trying to do. As for individual track comments/comparisons:
Matanza - Not bad, but lacks the sinister feel of the original. This is the one song where I preferred the old Heralds version by a wide margin.
The Catapult, When the Tomb Beckons - I prefer the older versions slightly and probably always will since I'm so used to them. There are just little things I miss like the effects on the vocals in "When the Tomb Beckons."
Necromancy - Just listen to that opening riff now! This one was tightened up quite a lot; the song is worthy of its title now and blows the Los Angeles Death Coalition version away. After hearing this new version, the only thing the old one has in its favor is the Beetlejuice intro.
Hallucinations - Not sure if this is an old or new song. The intro riff reminds me of that part from Goatlord's "Chicken Dance," and the main riff has a Acheron "Prayer of Hell" vibe to it. Killer stuff.
Seems more straightforward and consciously old-school than their debut. The album as a whole is an enjoyable listening experience but I don't really have that much to say about it because while solid DM, it's not exemplary. Well-done Demigod cover but as is often the case, the choice of strong cover material overshadows the original material to some extent.
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