Into Pandemonium – Darkest Rise – EP Review
Artist: Into Pandemonium
Album Title: Darkest Rise EP
Label: Independent Release
Date of Release: 31 January 2020
When you’re drowning in new music, and much of it is from established acts that you enjoy, it can be difficult to keep up-to-date with the happenings within more underground circles. However, manofmuchmetal.com was founded as an outlet for all my musical endeavours and part of my aim has always been to shine the light on music that deserves attention, regardless of size, notoriety or status.
It therefore gives me great pleasure to be able to pen a few words about ‘Darkest Rise’, a self-released EP by American extreme metal band by the name of Into Pandemonium, a band that have been around since late 2014 but, despite gaining plaudits for their live performances and having shared the stage with Carnifex and Cattle Decapitation, have yet to release any studio material.
‘Darkest Rise’ therefore, is the debut EP from Into Pandemonium and after hearing a track or two, I felt it was worthy of a review.
Into Pandemonium are in fact a sextet and they feature no less than three guitarists. In Saga, they also have in their ranks an extremely versatile vocalist who can sound like he’s gargling bitumen one minute, and having his gentleman parts crushed in a vice the next. Shrieks, growls, tortured screams; you name it, it is present and correct here.
Despite being an EP, ‘Darkest Rise’ actually features seven tracks with a running time of 27 minutes. Some grindcore albums are shorter than this EP; hell, some Slayer or At The Gates albums aren’t much longer either. So firstly, the recording is good value.
Secondly, the material is actually really quite impressive. Ok, so it is unlikely to threaten any end-of-year polls but what ‘Darkest Rise’ is, is a very commendable debut of extreme metal that’s actually, to their credit, a little tricky to pigeonhole. I can hear death metal, grindcore, extreme prog, technical metal, echoes of black metal and a whole host of other influences nestled within a sound that has been brought to life rather well, via a comparatively decent production and no little technical ability from the band themselves. Drummer Arkyn is very able, belting out the blasts with authority, whilst the multi-layered guitars of Wanderer, Yomi and Zothoth offer some interesting atmospheres and tones throughout.
‘Fallen’, with its increased melodic intent is easily my favourite track on the EP – the drumming is insane and the malevolence that comes across in the composition is very impressive, whilst remaining accessible and relatively melodic despite that frenetic instrumentation that is on display.
That said, the final track, ‘Fathomless’ demonstrates that Into Pandemonium don’t just create music to represent their name. This is a piece of music which proves that a more minimalist approach can still have a big impact. Bassist Jörmungandr leads the way alongside a simple, haunting melody and the deranged screams of Saga raging in the background to unsettle the listener.
All things considered, I’m very pleased I checked out Into Pandemonium, for there is potential to be heard from every corner. Those corners remain a little rough and jagged, but there’s enough talent on ‘Darkest Rise’ to convince me that these preposterously-monikered Americans could have a promising career ahead in the realm of extreme metal.
The Score of Much Metal: 70%
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLadasEahuQ&w=560&h=315]
Check out my reviews from 2020 right here:
Bonded – Rest In Violence
Serious Black – Suite 226
Darktribe – Voici L’Homme
Brothers Of Metal – Emblas Saga
A Life Divided – Echoes
Thoughts Factory – Elements
You can also check out my other reviews from previous years right here:
2019 reviews
2018 reviews
2017 reviews
2016 reviews
2015 reviews
