SENTENCED — Rotting Ways to Misery (review)

SENTENCED — Rotting Ways to Misery album cover Demo · 1991 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Rotting Ways to Misery" is the 2nd demo by Finland, Muhos based death metal act Sentenced. The demo was released on cassette tape in June 1991. It´s the successor to the "When Death Join Us..." demo from November 1990.

Although the same quartet lineup from the first demo remains and there are only little over 6 months between the two demo releases, Sentenced evolved at a rapid pace in the early years. The high level technical playing skills are even more pronounced on "Rotting Ways to Misery" and the songwriting is more varied and slightly more unique. It´s not more unique than that though, as you can still hear a strong late 80s Death (the band) influence in the music, but now Sentenced have also incorporated an audible death/doom metal influence from especially early Paradise Lost. The melancholic lead guitars and the heavy riffs and rhythms point in that direction, while the up tempo sections are more technical in style and influence, and are closer in style to he sound of the "When Death Join Us..." (1990) demo.

The 6 tracks on the 34:33 minutes long demo are old school death metal to the bone though, so the word technical should not be misunderstood, as this is in no way technical death metal. The high level of playing and skill involved are just amazing and Sentenced are an incredibly well playing unit...especially considering their young age (16-18 years old when they recorded this demo). Everyone in the band deserves a mention, but lead vocalist/lead guitarist/main composer Miika Tenkula does stand out with his intense growling vocals and skillful lead guitar work. Especially the latter is high class and deserves attention.

Recorded and mixed at the TICO-TICO Studio in Kemi, Finland, 8th-9th of June 1991 (the same studio where the band recorded the first demo) with producer/engineer Ahti Kortelainen, Sentenced have achieved what I would characterize as a professional demo sound quality. It´s both raw and brutal, but also clear and detailed enough for all instruments and vocals to be audible in the soundscape.

It wouldn´t be long before Sentenced were contacted by French label Thrash Records, who signed the band for the release of their debut full-length studio album "Shadows of the Past" (released in December 1991). An album which features all 6 tracks from "Rotting Ways to Misery" in re-recorded versions. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating it warranted.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 3 days ago
Sunmancer - Realms of Dilemma (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
Sunmancer - Lower Cavalier (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed