EVIL'S BEST 'ZINE #3 (israel)
When I contacted Daniel Corchado (the leader of this unique band) asking to answer an interview, he refused, claiming that he doesn’t do it anymore, since he prefers to let the music speak for itself. Well, this album is really a proof of what he told, since only 4 out of the 8 songs here have lyrics, so most of the time it’s instrumental. But guess what? It’s so greatly sounding that you will forget that there are no vocals most of the time once you listen to the album and there’s no feeling that something is actually missing!
Contrary to other bands (e.g. Usurper) that split up after being kicked from Earache since their albums didn’t sell well – The Chasm created an album of even higher standards than “The Spell of Retribution” from the point of view of both the songwriting and the production, without any help from a label (L.I. is Daniel’s own label)! You can hear EVERYTHING clearly, but the sound is just good and not sterile in a gay way. The artwork is their best in my opinion so far, but thinking about it – they’ve always been one of the very few bands, whose Photoshop-made artworks DIDN’T suck!
As for the music itself – as usual, expect for some complex and unusual Heavy Metal of Death from the cosmic abyss, as no other band on Earth has ever done before! It’s too complex to just describe it by “great riffs/solos”, but they’re definitely there. If you’ve never heard this band before – this is a great introduction to The Chasm’s unique style, and if you have – you probably got the idea. The lyrics is also an interesting aspect as (un)usual, dealing with Daniel’s inner thoughts and struggles, twisted cosmic visions and other not so clear stuff that probably only Mr. Corchado knows exactly what it means.
To me at least – lines like “No defeat, no surrender, and as the golden fire responds to my will, (you must) remember that nothing can change the past, forever we are, to roam in this curse…”, “No matter how many consequences have arrived, there is no looking back, always forging onwards” or “And so when I reach the chimerical oceans, timeless monoliths of hate, infuriating my cryptic devotion” reflects the essence of The Chasm, as a band that keeps struggling for their existence and always passing through all the trenches on their way (relocation to the US, getting backstabbed by “friends” and labels etc.). These lyrics also contribute to the obscure aura that already covers the music and adds another layer of mysteriousness.
I could keep writing even more and trying to give a better description of what FTPA is all about, but to sum it up – this is probably their best release since the classic “Deathcult to Eternity” and the ultimate proof that this band only gets stronger as the years pass. It’s not something like a “Cannibal Corpse inspired band” that you know how they sound before you even hear them, but something one must listen to in order to understand. Buy this album and hear what truly iron willed Death Metal is all about, take my word – you won’t regret unless you’re a wimp!
by Werewolf