SEPTICFLESH — The Great Mass (review)

SEPTICFLESH — The Great Mass album cover Album · 2011 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
J-Man
Greek symphonic death metal band Septicflesh received quite a bit of praise for their 2008 effort, Communion - an album often hailed as a masterpiece of its genre. Three years later, and Septicflesh now has another bombastic death metal album for fans to sink their teeth into. The Great Mass is an album filled with evil atmospheres, crushingly brutal riffs, and enough orchestrations to satisfy even the most die-hard symphonic metal fan. I have no doubt that The Great Mass will come across as pompous to some people - but (for me), that's part of what makes this album so great! Death metal purists may want to keep a safe distance from this one, but anyone who can enjoy their death metal on the more melodic and bombastic side should have a great time when listening to this stellar effort from Septicflesh.

The Great Mass relies heavily on two different influences - Gothenburg-styled melodic death metal and symphonic music. There are some brutal sections (with blast beats and such), but the album is seldom as lethal as other death metal acts. Orchestrations and keyboards dominate much of the album, but it rarely come across as "intrusive"; it's an integral part of Septicflesh's music, and fits in perfectly with the compositions. The vocals are mainly in the form of male growling, but there are also some black metal shrieks and clean vocals from both male and female. In many aspects, I'm reminded a bit of Cradle of Filth when listening to The Great Mass - if Cradle of Filth left behind some of their black metal influence in favor of a death metal sound, the result wouldn't be very different from Septicflesh. From a technical standpoint, the album is also top-notch. The production is clear, professional, and atmospheric, and the musicians are obviously experienced and talented.

The Great Mass is another great album from Septicflesh, and certainly something I'd recommend all fans of symphonic death metal to take a look into. The compositions are often unforgettable, the arrangements are intricately detailed to perfection, and the end result is nothing short of satisfying. 4 stars are well-deserved for this spectacular symphonic death metal album. Septicflesh has consistently been pleasing their fanbase for over 20 years, and The Great Mass proves that these veterans are far from running short on ideas.
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