Evolution in Metal is always welcome, because it allows a form of music that exists for the past 50 years to always be renewed for the younger generations. As an example: in a time of only ten years, BLACK SABBATH released "Black Sabbath" and "Heaven and Hell", two albums with the same musical 'core', but with differences due the evolution the band experienced on this timespam. Imagine such thing to a whole Metal genre, especially the Death Metal genres. But it doesn't mean that one can't do a good album on a more traditional way. This is the case of the Italian quartet DEVANGELIC shown on "Xul". Their musical work can be defined as Brutal Death Metal, but in a form the guards resemblances with MORBID ANGEL (especially during the slow parts), CANNIBAL CORPSE and SUFFOCATION, with some Ethnic touches (as can be heard on the introduction of "Worship of the Black Flames"), but evading the modern breakdowns that brings Groove into music.

Their music is Brutal Death Metal in the deeper sense of the genre: brutal, nasty, aggressive and a dangerous experience for those ears that aren't used to the genre. In few words: it's a very good release, indeed. Stefano Morabito is the producer of "Xul", and he did the mixing and mastering as well (and Davide Billia did the recordings of the drums and vocals). So it's not a sin to say that the sonority is what the fans of the genre expect: brutal, oppressive and defined to enable the deeper understanding of what the quartet expresses on its songs, with very good instrumental tunes were used. And the artwork of Nick Keller for the cover is really amazing and disturbing. "Xul" sounds as a unity due the homogeneous level of its songs.

But for taking the best of it, the right ones are "Scribes of Xul" (a brutal and fast song based on a solid and technical rhythmic work of bass guitar and drums), "Which Shall Be the Darkness of the Heretic" (another rhythmic shrapnel can be heard on its tempos, but with better guitar riffs and arrangements), "Udug-Hul Incantation" (this one is a slow song, with very good technical work of the musical instruments, but with a very good work of the vocals with its guttural low tunes), "Worship of the Black Flames" (as told above, some ethnic/oriental arrangements on the chords are heard on its beginning, preceding the Brutal Death Metal onslaught, again based on a fine work of the rhythmic session), and "Sa Belet Ersetim Ki'Am Parsusa". But remember: all the songs of the album are equally excellent.

As their fourth full length, "Xul" is showing a mature band that is ready to conquer. And no one will stand in the way of DEVANGELIC without having their ears torn to shreds!