Tuesday 25 March 2014

Barbarian - Faith Extinguisher (Album Review)


Album Type : Full Length
Date Released : 23/1/2014
Label : Doomentia Records

Faith Extinguisher, album track listing :
1). Faith Extinguisher
2). Inhale the Dead
3). Godless, Amoral and Proud
4). Total Metal
5). Fools of Gogotha
6). Crux et Circenses
7). We are the Profane

The Band :

D.D. Prowler | Bass
Lore | Drums
Borys Crossburn | Guitars, Vocals

Review :

Barbarian, denizens of Doomantia Records, deliver old school trad metal with feral vocals. There is more than a bit of Maiden in the guitar work, more than a little Mercyful Fate in the vibe and a primitive element to the band's attack that would make any fan of early Celtic Frost happy.

The production is raw and analogue sounding. The title track starts the album off in style with a drum intro and then the band is all business with Maiden-esque harmonies. Inhale The Dead keeps the swinging tempo going with horror-centric lyrics. Godless, Amoral and Proud keeps the quality high while Total Metal edges it in the song title stakes and is delivered at a galloping near-thrashing tempo. It is complete with chugging middle section riff, too.

Fools of Golgotha has some excellent harmony guitar sections and some great riffing to boot. Double kick drumming separates the section at the 2.20 mark from Maiden debut replication... not that it would be a bad thing!

Crux Et Circenses is the longest, and certainly the doomiest, track on offer here. Oppressively slow and weighty it proves that the band can switch it up when they want to and provides a dynamic to the record that is most welcome. We Are the Profane is the seventh and final track on this pleasing and totally backwards looking record. The track is a celebration of all things metal- dramatic intros, swinging dual guitar riffs, double bass drums and guttural vocals.

The record celebrates the best tenets of 80's metal- all listed above- and is thus for fans of In Solitude, Witch Grave, Pentagram (Chile), Ravens Creed and certainly all bands mentioned in this review hitherto this paragraph. Doomentia have come up with the goods again and unleashed on the world a fine example of an album that is totally metal!

Words by : Richard Maw

You can buy it here or digitally via bandcamp here

For more information :