Satanation

Citizen X

Don't be fooled by the cheesy name; Slovakian band, CITIZEN X, are a ruthless Death […]
By Megan McMillan
January 23, 2015
Citizen X - Satanation album cover

Don't be fooled by the cheesy name; Slovakian band, CITIZEN X, are a ruthless Death Metal machine that would make the most hard core death metal fan ear's bleed in shock of the brutality their music beholds.

The band's latest effort, "Satanation", is short but sweet, lasting between half an hour forty/ five minutes at the most. CITIZEN X have managed to get the right amount of impressive, impossibly fast riffing into their songs along with breakdown sections really well here. No instrument is left in the shadows either, the bass drums and vocals all have their shining moments though the guitar is definitely at the core of their music. Furthermore, every element of the band flaws together in a flawless stream of death metal awesomeness.

From the moment you turn on this record you're hit with a swarm of aggression. "New World Order" presents the listener with bleak tones, brash chord progression, machine gun drums and intense growling vocals. It's a respectable introduction. While the second track "United Servants Of The Antichrist" is all about those breakdowns, deep bass and crashing drums that just make you want to head bang like crazy. "Disciples Of The Coin" sounds vicious and evil. The distorted guitar creates a dark, hazy landscape image in the listener's mind then the pounding drums and chord progression kicks in. It sounds like the sort of thing you'd listen too in hell. "Misanthropic Truth Messiah" kicks up the tempo a little. The song is just about fast, intense riffing. It can get a little bit repetitive at times but it builds up a thrill inside you that death metal is supposed to.

Things get really dark with "Nailday Massacre" which has a killer, bass line and brutal, chilling vocals about death. Not to forget the ear splitting riff and great drumming skills. "We Come to Kill" is the point in the album where things start to get a little bit repetitive. It seems that the riffs are slightly unimaginative, only being one or two notes only, same with the chord progression. It's still a solid track but a bit samey, though the guitar solo is mesmerising. The title track comes next and it's one of the only tracks that has a chord line at its core rather than heretic riffs. There's also a bit more experimentation with instrumental parts which is refreshing after the last couple of tracks. "Genocide" has got to be one of the heavier tracks on the album. It feels as though everything is crashing together to create thrashing noise. The last original track is "Land Of The Free". The gritty guitar tone is similar to MESSUGAH's style. The bass is also important and again the shredding skills show off here. Fans are then parted with a cover of WHITESNAKE's "Child of Babylon". It's definitely a different approach to the track, not many clean vocals or harmonies. Unlike the original, it's a loud ruckus. Apart from maybe one particular section where there is melodic guitar and vocals. The album ends on a chord smash.

While this album is good at what it does, it doesn't bring anything else to the table other than pure death metal. This will be great for those who enjoy that sort of thing, but it's a very niche market and thus immediately leaves CITIZEN X with a limited audience. The WHITESNAKE cover does show a little bit of diversity in their playing style though. 

6 / 10

Had Potential

"Satanation" Track-listing:

1. New World Order
2. United Servants Of The Antichrist
3. Disciples Of The Coin
4. Misanthropic Truth Messiah
5. Nailday Massacre
6. We Come to Kill
7. Satanation
8. Genocide
9. Land Of The Free
10. Child of Babylon (Whitesnake cover)

Citizen X Lineup:

Peter Böhm - guitars
Petr Saniga - bass guitar, solo guitar
Lukas Siska - drums
Wolfgang Süssenbeck - vocals, lyrics

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