Imagine a band that can fuse every extreme Metal genre into a form of music that is really different. Yes, I know that it's hard to see this idea clearly in our minds, because it wasn't done before. But now, it is being done by the German quintet STASS, because "The Darkside", the band's first album, is a lesson of creativeness and personality.

I'm not drunk or wrong in my words: they are truly fusing all extreme Metal genres into one form of music. It sounds aggressive and brutal, but in many moments, some catchy and great melodies arises from the guitars (as you can hear on "Forever Blind"). It's powerful and heavy as Hell, bitter and nasty in some moments, melodic and catchy on others, but always being creative. The experience we have when listening to "The Darkside" is like we could hear an eclectic incarnation of CREMATORY.

The album was recorded at The Rotpit (on Sweden) and Empire Studios (on Germany), and it was mixed and mastered by the hands of Johan Berglund. The sound quality that comes from all this effort is something that has the raw elements from 90s Death Metal, some of the modern aggressive vibe, and it all with a clear sound aesthetics. Yes, it is truly good, with very good raw tunes but always clear. The artwork was done by Mark Erskine, and he made a fine work, that fits on a subjective form on the musical concept of the band. It's very good, but not excellent.

Ten very good songs await us all. The album's finest moments can be heard on the fine aggressiveness of the guitars and vocals in the rush of raw energy of "Warriors Land" (fast and thundering, with a mix between modern Death Metal parts with some raw essence from the same style on the 90s), the aggressive attack of bass guitar and drums heard on "Crawling from Ashes" and "The Final Disease" (both with brutal energy and melodies like those used by AMON AMARTH and CREMATORY), the wonderful melodies of the guitars presented on "Forever Blind" (very good clean tunes from vocals on some parts), the bitterness show on the slow and nasty "Angel of Doom", the fine melodies and thunderous rhythmic work heard on "The Burning", the modern Melodic Death Metal scent of "The New World Order", and the introspective and Gothic touch presented on the vocals of "The Host".

They're on the right path, so listen to "The Darkside" and be prepared for some wonderful surprises!