PROMETHEE: 'Promethee.'

Brutal! 

I think that sums this one up quite succinctly! 

Now, I like my music fast and furious. You have to go some to beat a good slice of hardcore punk in my book. But Death Metal / Extreme Metal? I think that’s maybe a tad too far for me. In small doses, say as the odd track played on a John Peel type radio show, it is perfectly acceptable. I can see the attraction and quite often can also appreciate the musicianship.  

But an unrelenting twenty-minute (five track) aural assault leaves me slightly hard of hearing and both mentally and physically drained. 

PROMETHEE are a Swiss quintet who have toured their asses off across Europe and have graced the stage at the Greenfield Festival alongside the likes of Rammstein and the Prodigy. They’re obviously no mugs at what they do.

 These tracks are full of what you’d expect from a band of this ilk – frenetic drumming, thrashed guitar riffs, and deeply growled vocals that sound like Satan’s regurgitating a dodgy curry! 

To be perfectly honest, I couldn’t tell you if this is good, bad or indifferent performance. Like I said, in isolation each of these tracks would hold my attention – but there is a similarity about them all to my ears at least, so I’m not gonna stick my neck on the line and pass judgement one way or another. 

Obviously there is a huge underground market out there for this type of material and I’m sure that when they cross the channel to the UK, they will meet with the approval of the Metalhammer boys amongst others.

 So, yeah ….. I’ll keep an open and uncommitted mind on this one. 

(Bet Julie Andrews and her Von Trappe charges didn’t see this lot coming when they crossed the Alps!

“The hills are alive with the sound of … AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!”) 

(Released through Bad Mood, and available via I-Tunes and Amazon) 

(7/10)

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