Feast Eternal

Item: Prisons of Flesh
Author: D_Lister

Prisons of Flesh

(1999)

Reviewed by D_Lister

Discogs Bandcamp

Label independentDead Zine1999

death metal doom metal

A brutality level like no other. If I had to convey this album in one sentence that would be it. Short and to the point. Obviously a positive sentence, and hopefully inspiring enough to get you to consider buying a copy of this album.

Fortunately I've got a little more room to work with and hopefully I will convey those things to you still. Yes you need to seriously consider getting a copy of this album, it's simply amazing.

You read about the band in the article from the last update of Dead so you know they've been around for awhile now and have adapted their style of death metal somewhat and you can hear it all over the place. The guitars play a distinctive european flair, and the vocals change up from basic growls to higher pitched vocals quite frequently. Nice.

The drumming is definitely something that needs to be touched upon here. Now I don't know what this guy is doing in some of the tracks but it's not blast beats. Yet it's still really freaking fast and keeping the pace where it needs to be from song to song. Superb.

If I had only one aspect to touch on I would certainly want you to know the music is simply incredible, however I'd have to talk about the lyrics of this album. This album is really getting down to the business of evangelising! Take the track "Forgetting God":

Waters of life - Flowing and pure
Quench this deep thirst - restore my soul
Cover in His blood - Reborn in the spirit
Comforter of Promise - Guide my new life
I surrender my will - and open my heart
I receive what you give - with joy I'm filled
This promise is mine - my life now given
My name again written - Eternally to be with thee.

Here on this mountain I stand singing praises
This chosen one
I who changed my life and gave it to God
Rebellious child weary of idol's and sin
Lord heal me again
By you alone I swear my life the living God
Pour out your blood.

Now I feel this song is about a backslidden Christian who reforms but still there is some power there. Funny thing is this is only one song of 8 that are this powerful in the lyrics.

All the songs have that typical deathy feel to them too, and with titles like Dead Eyes, Into Eternity, Ashes to Dust, and Of Service and Suffering you can only expect to get a death metal feel from the songs. I mention this because it's sometimes obvious that even death metal bands tend to get over cushy sometimes and it just doesn't FEEL right as a death metal song, like is should have been a black metal song with more atmosphere...none of that here mind you.

All in all this is one album that you can proudly take to any secular friend's house slap in his CD player and expect the music to blow his mind and the message to blow his heart.

10/10