Lista de Bandas Death Black Stillborn (PL) Los Asesinos del Sur

It took three years for Polish Stillborn to get back on tracks after the relative deception in 2008 of their "Tribute to Unholy Meta” Esta Rebelion Es Eterna. Consisting of five almost too generic Blackened Death Metal tracks and a few not that brilliant covers, the scene had not really adopted Stillborn’s late effort especially considering that their first two full-lengths were of much better quality.

As Los Asesinos del Sur now hits the shelves and is available through Pagan Records, hopes were high to see Stillborn come back with better material but also most people were wondering if the band could get back on the right track.

The answer is damn simple. They haven't got back on the right track. They destroyed it. Los Asesinos del Sur is not only in every way superior to Esta Rebelion Es Eterna, it is superior even to the rest of their discography.

Not relying any longer on the “Brutal" but yet too generic sound coming from the Hertz studio, the band chose to record instead in Polish Kwart Studio, Ataman Tolovy now completely involved in the production and mix phases of the record. The result is then very much personal and while some may fear that the ultrablasting violence of the renowned Hertz studio may be lost, Stillborn make up for it in the best possible way. Not relying so much on ultra digital production that make most of nowadays recent records a maelstrom of brutal tones assembled almost in a mathematical way, Los Asesinos del Sur kills you right on the spot with its heavier-than-thou and almost raw production.

Talking about Ataman Tolovy, Stillborn’s vocalist, let’s just add that he no longer relies on standardized Death Metal / Black Metal vocals as he used to. Now he’s way beyond that. He basically spits and vomits all his hate and it shows. The vocals are for the most part intelligible and with songs like Blood and Dust or Whore of the Whores, it feels as if Satan were talking directly to you. The experience is thrilling!

Another good and positive aspect of Stillborn’s latest blasphemy is that none of the songs are filler material. While the first two records were pretty badass already, they shared this tendency to feature killer material with just ok songs. None of this here. Each and every song is definitely essential; from the opener Hymn of Destruction to Whore of the Whores, all the tracks are peculiarly great and it’s only tracks that are close to perfection which stand out among the great rest.

This proves again that a band, should it wish so, has always the potential not only to come back but to surpass itself. Some bands that release their full-length as if it were calendars each and every year could very well learn from Stillborn. Sometimes it's best to let things sleep in and let your rage build up to its climax. More than ever this does not feel like the rebirth of Stillborn (fucking pun intended!) but really their god damned birth. They've touched the essence of evil here and I can only wish that they have a tight grip on it. Get it, you weaklings!

Poland's veteran black/death metal band Stillborn this year returns with their fourth full length album, Los Asesinos del Sur. With excellent Polish exports in recent years such as Infernal War, Vader and the likes pushing the limits of extreme metal, it will be exciting to hear what Stillborn, as one of the veterans out of Poland has to offer with their latest output.

Overture .966 sets the mood right with an intro that is fit for a Black Sabbath record, but brutalised with the ominous sounds of war sirens overhead, giving listeners a hint of the chaos that Stillborn is going to wreak in the coming 30 minutes. The intro gives a taste to what is coming, and as Hymn of Destruction begins, the listener is instantly reminded of a heavier version of fellow Polish blackened death metal bands such as Behemoth and Hate, though they have chosen to devote their energy into their crushing riffs rather than on speed. The chaotic and sharp lead guitars that are so characteristic of the Polish style of extreme metal is also present throughout, and Stillborn provides a nice balance between sheer brutality and face-ripping speed.

There are some gripes here and there though, as at times the drums threaten to go out of sync with the rest of the instruments, but this surprisingly adds to the authenticity of the album, complete with a raw and loud production job that brings out the raw energy bursting from the band. The abilities of the individual members are also evident, and drummer August unleashes some serious punishment on the skins with the constant blast beats and furious fills. The martial sounding drumming at the beginning of Blood and Dust also reinforces the mood of the album. The guitarists' innovation are also evident such as the play on the whammy bar on Antonym, though guitar solos are pretty rare affairs on the album.

Songs like Son of the Holy Motherfucker provides some nice fist-pumping moments as well, with listeners easily following the catchy song title. Blood and Dust and the title track Los Asesinos del Sur further displays the songwriting capabilities of the band, with the band building up the atmosphere and climax before letting all hell break loose. The beginning of Los Asesinos del Sur further brings in the comparison with Behemoth with what they have done in their later works, and is sure to captivate fans of the aforementioned band. The Spanish lyrics also somehow make the song sound more gruff and barbaric, to my delight. It is also on this track that finally lets guitarists Rzu?ty and Killer display their prowess on their instruments. Stillborn II is one of the speediest number on the album, and further displays the versatility of the band.

While the beginning of the album takes some getting used to, Los Aesinos del Sur certainly gets more enjoyable as it progresses, with some of the best tracks being located towards the end of the album. The generally short run times of the track also ensure that those with ADD have enough patience to sit through the tracks from start to end.