DIABOLIC — Vengeance Ascending (review)

DIABOLIC — Vengeance Ascending album cover Album · 2001 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Vengeance Ascending" is the 3rd full-length studio album by US, Tampa, Florida based death metal act Diabolic. The album was released through Olympic Recordings on the 30th of October 2001. It´s the successor to "Subterraneal Magnitude" which was released only a few weeks prior to "Vengeance Ascending" on the 16th of October 2001. "Subterraneal Magnitude" was already recorded in June 2000, but problems with the label postponed the release a full year (the original release date was planned for October 2000). There´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as guitarist Bryan Hipp has been replaced by Jerry Mortellaro.

Stylistically the material on "Vengeance Ascending" continue in a similar predominantly fast-paced and energetic US death metal style as the style played on the first two album releases by Diabolic (still strongly influenced by Morbid Angel and to a lesser degree Deicide). The growling vocals shift between deep growls and a higher pitched aggressive type of growling (again not terribly different from the vocal style on the early Morbid Angel releases). Screaming chromatic guitar solos accompany fast-paced tremolo riffs, and thundering ultra fast-paced drumming. A slight black metal influence has crept in on some tracks, but it´s only an influence and this is still an archetype US death metal release in the most fast-paced and technically well played end of the spectrum.

The sound prooduction is slightly weaker sounding compared to the first two releases, but that´s mostly due to the thin triggered bass drum sound. Other than that the sound production on "Vengeance Ascending" is relatively well sounding and suits the material well. Overall "Vengeance Ascending" is another quality death metal release by Diabolic and fans of the genre should find loads to enjoy here. I´ve read some reviews saying this is a step down from the first two releases, but I´m not sure I feel the same way. It´s true Diabolic haven´t progressed much in sound and style since their inception, but that probably wasn´t the idea to begin with. They seem fully content to keep playing their brand of death metal, and to my ears they excel in doing just that. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.
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

Traumatica Metalcore
NO GUERRA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Within the Visceria Death Metal
NECKBREAKKER
Buy this album from MMA partners
EP 1 Sludge Metal
CHAOTIC AGGRESSION
Buy this album from MMA partners
Songs of Blood and Mire Black Metal
SPECTRAL WOUND
Buy this album from MMA partners
Everything Hurts And I'm Dying Atmospheric Sludge Metal
NEGATIVE BLISS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Origin Of Infinity - Chronosphere (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)
ORIGIN OF INFINITY
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Kingdom of Heaven - “Pleasures of Pain”
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Bosh66· 1 day ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 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