text: Jean Relapse
Devil’s Emissary
Demiurge Asceticism (EP)
Third Eye Temple
September 9th, 2017
Trends come and go in extreme music. There has always been some bands who handled promotion in a rather traditional way but there are others that avoid the spotlights like the plague. Devil’s Emissary is one of them. We know they’re Polish and that their current label is Under The Sign of Garazel Productions. They mostly release Polish black metal, their most well-known band would be Szron. Demiurge Asceticism EP though is released on Thrid Eye Temple, responsible for Outre’s Ghost Chants or Au Dessus’ first EP among others.
Speaking of avoiding light like the plague, Devil’s Emissary pushes the idea to its limit: a black & grey artwork gives a glimpse of the musical colours to be found in the EP. With its three titles, the band offers a dive to the bottom of the death/black pit. Light is nowhere to be found, expect maybe in the arpeggios suitable to the genre. In terms of rhythm, the classic turns from blurry blast-beasts to heavy mid-tempos and vice versa give a bit of fresh air to compositions that are at least 6 minute-long.
I could go on and on describing the tracks with commonplaces, but I’ll go straight to the point. Devil’s Emissary is mature and intelligent and I wouldn’t find any musical side to reproach them. Some parts are well-thought, the drum patterns are on point and the vocals, the main quality in my opinion, are reminiscent of what is best in the scene (I would even dare mentioning Ethan Lee McCarthy for some growls). Now, the question I always ask myself when listening to new bands is: what new do you bring to the table with a release? Two main paths are taken. First, bands can innovate, explore musical genre or combine two genres together to form something new, something that looks for innovation. Others walk on marked paths, and just want to provide one (more?) release. (Un)fortunately, they chose the latter.
Now, as a reader (or as a musician yourself), you may return the question: what new do you bring to the table with a review? Maybe nothing, certainly a subjective point of view. Die-hard fans of the genre should definitely be filled with enthusiasm, and they’d be right, because Devil’s Emissary is among the good, if not very good, bands around. Others will keep waiting for the music to be developed into something maybe less redundant.
THE GOAT TAVERN 