If a band includes two ex-members of a well-known Norwegian
black metal outfit, its albums won't necessarily be
black metal-oriented. Item:
Zyklon's
Disintegrate. Two of the four Scandinavians on this 2005 recording (guitarist/founder
Samoth and drummer
Trym) are former members of
Emperor. But this skullcrushing CD (which is
Zyklon's third album) doesn't sound like
Emperor, and it is not an album of straight-up
black metal. Actually,
Disintegrate is more
death metal than anything; this release is best described as
death metal that incorporates
black metal and metalcore elements.
Black metal-style blastbeats are incorporated, and the extreme vocals include a deep, guttural
death metal-style growl as well as the type of tortured, abrasive screaming that is more characteristic of metalcore and
hardcore.
Zyklon uses the broad term "extreme
metal" to describe their work, which is accurate because
death metal,
black metal, and metalcore are all part of extreme
metal. But whatever terms one uses,
Disintegrate is ferocious.
Zyklon changes tempos frequently, assaulting and battering the listener at breakneck speed as well as slower speeds. There is some complexity on
Disintegrate (whose lineup also includes singer/bassist
Secthdamon and guitarist
Destructor), but this 45-minute CD is not part of the melodic
death metal/
symphonic black metal movement; complexity or not,
Disintegrate usually operates from a slash-and-burn standpoint. While melodic
death metal and
symphonic black metal releases go out of their way to make extreme
metal less extreme and more accessible to mainstream tastes,
Disintegrate is unapologetic in its dense, crushing harshness. Although not a five-star treasure,
Disintegrate is a decent and well executed demonstration of
Zyklon's take-no-prisoners aesthetic. ~ Alex Henderson