It's always interesting to see a band classify themselves as "Extreme", as it immediately makes you wonder what it is exactly that makes them so. Sometimes it's the vocals; harsh, pained and hoarse. Other times it's the sheer brutality of the instruments themselves, played to breaking point and quite simply belting out the loudest possible sound that they can. In the case of CEMETERY DUST it seems to be a subtle mixture of both, with both guitars pushing the music forwards nicely and Philip Forster's vocals being suitably...well, extreme.

One of the best things about said vocals is the fact that while there's no question as to how much effort is being made to produce them, it is still possible to understand the majority of the lyrics despite the fact that the band hails from Austria. They are also well-timed; coming into the music only when there is nothing more the guitar can add. This is not meant as an insult, as it is abundantly clear that a degree of imagination and enthusiasm has been engaged where the guitars are concerned. Many songs have wide-ranging sounds and a varied structure; the best example being the possible standout track "Cloak of Blood" which begins with a slow, heavy sound before descending into the depths of madness and getting faster and faster before finally ending with an acoustic outro. It serves as a good example of the best of the band's sound, which, as the PR says, occassionally manages to sound old-school and fresh at the same time. Oftentimes the bass sounds reminiscent of PANTERA, and the simple, slower drums that appear at times feel like a throwback to 80s Heavy Metal.

Unfortunately while a number of the songs here are interesting and varied in themselves, some tracks feel slightly like filler such as "The Great Isolation", which sounds like a less interesting rendition of the earlier track "Souls Come Undone". Similarly the closing, titular song "To Rule Them All" doesn't really offer anything new, and feels like a wasted opportunity as the closing track should be among the best of the release.

In any case this is an impressive selection of music, and minus a couple of songs is really rather clever technically. Fans of beautifully hook-ey songs will enjoy CEMETERY DUST's latest offering, and will take delight in the skill of the musicians as they blast their way through nine (mostly) fantastic tracks.