Blackwater - Founded on the Shambles (14.06.2012)
 

Welcome to the most beautiful german state. Here between the seas reigns the peace... But a band from Kiel has made it their mission to plow up the land with rock hard riffs and brute vocals. In 2008 Blackwater already started to develop their own style. Their sound is raw, loud and aggressive, a mix of Death Metal and Black Metal with deep growlings and skilled riffs. 2012 their first EP "Founded on the shambles" was released. In this review we will take a look on this downloadalbe EP. Now let the game beginn.....

The first song "Man is the cruelest animal" is a very fast one, hard and aggressiv, and I needed a moment to categorize it into a genre. It uses a lot of different elements of Death and Balck Metal. Deep roaring growls are supportet by typical Black Metal screamings and the song gains a lot due to some speedchanges which gives it an own atmosphare. Very remarkable are the drums, it´s like a pure thunderstorm thats driving the song on and on. "Duality" goes the same way, it is loud and brutal but has also a melodic part. It is a song that goes streight into your neck. But it needs one or two times to catch a fire. Lets talk about the 3rd song "Cross the Rubicon", no exception just raw and merciless and fast. The listener will hear a real drumfire supported by great guitar and basssound. "Cross the Rubicon" is a deliberately aggressive one and a !!!MUST PLAY!!! on this EP.I think, I need a break, but also the next one, "Founded on the Shambles" kicks straight into my balls. A driving sound, with whipping guitars and drums. There is just a short moment to exhale, in a short interlude, that eases the song a bit, but doesn´t take the brutality away.

 

Conclusion: Blackwater is plowing rude through the Death Metal, but the guys from Kiel also know how to use the Black Metal elements. The vocals are between deep diabolic growlings and typical screamings, that gives them a good variation. But most of all i have to think about their drumfire, is it too good? Did they use the help of a
drumcomputer? If my thoughts are wrong, the drummer must have wrists of steel because the speed is sometimes so domn high.In my opinion I can surely recommend "Sounded on shambles" to friends of hard sounds.

Line Up:

Fabian       Vocals
Robert       Bass
Florian       Guitar
Oskar        Guitar
Michael     Drums
 

Soundquality: 9/10                Variation: 8,5/10                      Cover: 9/10         Booklet: 9/10
Total: 8,9/10