After having 12 hours to record “Black Sabbath”, BLACK SABBATH left the studio to get in the road for shows, and they weren’t aware of the revolution they were going to start. And such a way seems to happen again and again on Metal history, as can be said on the rise of the MOTÖRHEAD, JUDAS PRIEST, VENOM, POSSESSED, DEATH, and many others. The Second Wave of Death Metal is the same: maybe the guys of MORBID ANGEL, OBITUARY, DISMEMBER, CARNAGE, ENTOMBED, BOLT THROWER, and others were just happy of having their early albums released, and never thought that they would be called classics in some years. And the load of the Second Wave of Death Metal is unleashed on “Visions of the Nightside”, the third full-length of the Italian duo DAEMONIAC.

Just to see the name of Tomas Skogsberg (who worked on the recording and mixing) means that the ‘jigsaw-guitar-tunes’ will be used, and the mastering of Carlo Meron helps to shape things: brutal, classic and nasty, but in a way that can be understood by anyone. And the artwork of Silvia Palmeroni is very good, done on a black and white simple way. The previous paragraphs state clear that this release is from a Death Metal act heavily influenced by the old models of the 90s, drinking influences from both North American and Swedish Death Metal schools (the vocals use a guttural set of tunes that reminds a lot the ways used by Ross Dolan, Mike Saez and Craig Pillard; and the guitars are ‘jigsawning’ riffs in the Swedish way of DISMEMBER and ENTOMBED). But such words don’t mean that the band is just a clone. No, that’s not the idea, because they unleash a massive energy and with very good hooks.

“The Deamon Beast” (a fast song with very good arrangements on the guitars, indeed), “Into Damnation” (the brutal grasp imposed by this one is fed upon a good work on bass guitar and drums on the rhythms), “False Prophecies” (some very good slow tempos can be heard here, boosting the oppressive and nasty ambience of the song, and enabling the vocals to show a very good work), “Fall from Grace” (some hooks inherited from Hardcore can be heard on this one), “Lord of Immolation” and “Visions of the Nighside” are proof that this album is worthy of a careful hearing.

Brutal and Old School, “Visions of the Nightside” will surely earn some more fans for DAEMONIAC, indeed.