APOCALYPSE is actually Erymanthon Seth, an Italian musician originally from Turin. It didn’t start out this way, though. In the first two years of its existence, APOCALYPSE was an actual band. Due to differences of opinion the band leader Erymanthon Seth decided to stop the whole charade and just go on as a one-man band. Musically he wanted to mix Black, Death and Epic Metal and try to sound different on every album he would produce. Whether he has done that or not is not for me to say, as “Pandaemonium” is the first time I ever listened to the music of APOCALYPSE. And that in itself is quite remarkable, as this is the seventh studio album in 6 years. At least he is very productive, even if it has been outside of my perimeter. Until now, that is.

The thing is, the guy and therefore APOCALYPSE is either trying too hard, or the fact might be that he just isn’t a really good song writer. I don’t know which one it is, and I’ll try and explain to you why. First off, if you are doing it all on your own, you need to master all the instruments you play. Well, he almost succeeded there. Where he lets the album down is as a drummer. He doesn’t get the nuances right, goes for continual double bass where it should have been just short spurts. On top of that his rhythms lack inventiveness, are all a tad too simple. And that is a pity, because with the right emotional background of the drums “Pandaemonium” could have become quite a nice album.

The other reason I am not a fan of APOCALYPSE is the number of clerical keyboards being used. They just go on too long and take over the vibe, instead of adding or detracting from it. the opener “Praeludium in D Minor” is an exercise I could have done without. “Pandaemonium” might have been six minutes (or more) than the 46 minutes it is now, but it would have made much more of an impact. And to be fair, the songs are all quite simple, without any real power or conviction. This has all been recorded in the Swedish studio (and label) MiMo Sound, known for working with BATHORY. To make this collaboration work better, Erymanthon Seth has moved himself and the band brand to Stockholm in Sweden. I don’t know if APOCALYPSE is wishing to emulate what his iconic peer has done, but if “Pandaemonium” is anything to go by, he has an awful lot to learn.