When the extreme Metal genres appeared back in the 80s, many excellent bands created many models that are still in use today. But we still have very good bands with good works, others that aren't as good as we'd like, and those that don't deserve to be named. On this last case are those without anything to say of new, that aren't able to use the old musical clichés to create something different. But what is the Brazilian trio DIABOLIC FORCE up to with their third album, "Praise of Satan"?

For all those who don't know their work: they are a Thrash/Death Metal band in the same way of BATHORY, VENOM, SODOM, ONSLAUGHT and some others on their primordial works. It's brutal and oppressive, using a simple instrumental technique on the songs, along with simple musical arrangements (we can see that as an influence from Punk Rock and Hardcore). Of course we could sound a bit cruder than the necessary, and sometimes they are pretty cliché as well, but the things are in this way with their work. It's not bad, but they could do things in a better way, because it's clear that they have enough talent for that.

A crude and raw sound is what we hear when "Praise of Satan" plays. It's like they are desperately trying to be a band of the 80s (what they aren't, and will never be). It's not in a way that we can't understand what they are playing, but references of the sound quality used by BATHORY on "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" are clear. It's foggy, and I believe that something clear would help them (besides this sonority fits on what they play). Maybe they could count with the help of Joel Grind to make their mix and mastering on the next time (besides Necromaniac from APOKALYPTIC RAIDS, who did the mastering, is a good producer).

There are some good songs on the album, as you can hear on the "Cross in Fire" (where the influence from BATHORY is clear on these simple and good guitar riffs), "Whorehouse Queen" with this strong and heavy work on bass guitar and drums (simple and efficient, but the vocals are sounding too low on the mix), the crude and bitter work on "Black Light Damnation" (good vocals, besides the tunes could be better, with the use of a bit clear tunes), "Rotting Lips" (a short song, but with some excellent guitars) and the hypnotizing rhythmic changes of "The Circle". On these songs, all of them with a slow approach on the rhythm (what shows that they are really talented as a band), but on the faster ones as "Doom Child" and "Blasphemic Sound" they are short, and they could be extended a bit more with a better work on the arrangements.

What I can say about "Praise of Satan" in the end: they have talent and know what they are doing, but need a producer to put out all their potential. Once more: Joel Grind, as a producer, could give them a great helping hand in this aspect.