Unveiling the Threshold

Skelethal

A great part of young Death Metal bands are heavily influenced by the second wave […]
November 5, 2020
Skelethal - Unveiling the Threshold album cover

A great part of young Death Metal bands are heavily influenced by the second wave of the genre that arose on late 80's/early 90's, because it's the time when things became solidified. It can be said that Death Metal Schools on USA (lead by DEATH, MORBID ANGEL, OBITUARY, and others), UK (with BOLT THROWER, BENEDICTION, CARCASS and others), Netherlands (when SINISTER, GOREFEST, GOD DETHRONED and others ravaged the lands) and Sweden (with CARNAGE, ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER and UNLEASHED as spearheads) modified things (and remembering that other Schools gave their contributions as well, of course). Those days created a model that is still a great influence for many bands, as the French quartet SKELETHAL. And they're releasing their second full-length, "Unveiling the Threshold".

Their music is that old format from the 90's, with clear influences from North American and Swedish Death Metal bands as DEATH, MORBID ANGEL, DISMEMBER and ENTOMBED for their early works. Their music still cares of a proper personality, because they're still living under the influences from the past (in reality, the quartet is haunted by the clichés of the past). But for those who don't care for such aspect, this album is a sample of what was done back on those days when things were still being adjusted, has a strong amount of energy, and it's truly brutal and aggressive.

Greg Wilkinson made the mixing of "Unveiling the Threshold", but the final result is not the better one. There are many bands making Old School Death Metal using modern recording devices, and having better results doing things in a different way: they don't try to sound as they were in the 90's, the main sin of this sonority. It's rough and poor, in a way that the final result isn't the better one. If the band chose things in this way, maybe they must some new bands are doing with cleaner sonorities.

Of course one can say that "Unveiling the Threshold" has its merits for sounding like bands from the past. But this is the main problem: the quartet sounds like many names, but not like themselves. "Sidereal Lifespan", the slow parts of "Antropomorphia", "Repulsive Recollections" (very good bass guitar and drums parts), "On Somber Soil", and "Abyssal Church... The Portal Revealed" shows a band that has potential to walk away from their influences to create something of their own, but they need to work a bit more in this aspect. They have potential to make things on a personal way.

Once more: if one isn't worried about hearing what was heard many times before, "Unveiling the Threshold" will be a good choice. If it's the opposite, better look for another release.

6 / 10

Had Potential

Songwriting

6

Musicianship

7

Memorability

6

Production

4
"Unveiling the Threshold" Track-listing:

1. Sidereal Lifespan
2. Antropomorphia
3. Emerging from the Ethereal Threshold
4. Repulsive Recollections
5. Cave Dwellers
6. On Somber Soil
7. Adorned with the Black Vetebra
8. Abyssal Church... The Portal Revealed

Skelethal Lineup:

Gui Haunting - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Lucas - Lead Guitar
Julien - Bass
Lorenzo Vissol - Drums

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