Rating: 7.9

Country: Spain

Release Date: 2006

Track list:
1. Desperta Ferro
2. Defenestration
3. Crawling Ghouls
4. Metal Heart
5. Set Fire To Their Lands
6. The Harvesters
7. Terminating Rain
8. The Seven Plagues Unleashed

Band Website: Redimoni

Redimoni - The Onset of Chaos

Thundering Drum Basher Summoner Of The Eternal Legions Of Chaos- War Drums
The Bestial Swordmaster Commander Of Evil Battalions- Four String Torture
Thy Mighty Apocalyptic Hermit Foreteller Of Doom- Sixstring Scratching & Infernal Squeals
Fiendish Warrior 666- Demonic Riffs & Blasphemies

Here we have a frenzied burst of confidently-executed black/thrash, ably distinguished from the pack by prominent lashes of epic, warlike melody, flourishes of trad metal flair and bold, assertive musicianship that presents a consummate professionalism that contrasts admirably with many of the sloppier propositions populating the black/thrash landscape. Detectable within the 19 and a half minute excursion are definite hints of Bathory, 'Power & Pain' Whiplash, 'Agent Orange' Sodom, 'Eternal Devastation' Destruction, as well as pronounced shades of first album Angel Dust and Running Wild, coalescing in an EP that manages to straddle a line that the likes of Destroyer 666 and Gospel Of The Horns have toed delicately in the past, striking a delicate compromise between traditionally-minded classicism and forward-looking progressiveness, negotiating their way between melody and unrestrained savagery.

Yes, it's all executed with convincing gusto and vicious vitriol here, and the operative words here would be RUTHLESS EFFICIENCY. Redimoni DECLARE themselves as a thrash metal band at the outset and exemplify the foremost tenets of the art- terse but tense song structures that are excruciatingly effective and riff-driven, transforming riffs into scimitars. Somehow, however, the lofty feel, effortless finesse and ambitious scope of each song present a host of classy surprises for the listener. “Terminating Rain”, for instance, manages to stuff 2 verses, 3 choruses, a bridge, and 2 tuneful solos into 01:52, while “Desperta Ferro” shifts from sprint to SPREE to devastating mid-paced churn within the span of 02:21, a rapid ascending solo helping to accentuate the escalating frenetic mania that closes the track out. “Defenestration” balances strident 'Tapping The Vein' war march with a surging current of powerful, martial melody, the band adopting a simpler structure to pave the path for a convincing lead section that persists throughout the concluding hook. “Crawling Ghouls” is unadulterated Destruction hammering, a bloodstained, blistering blur pregnant with flesh-chomping, piranha-like riffing, a rabid, if a little straightforward prelude to “Metal Heart”, which bears more than a passing similarity, musically and conceptually, to Desaster's similarly anthemic “Metalized Blood”. All this, of course, serves as a mere prelude to the album's centerpiece and highlight, “Set Fire To Their Lands”, which presents a cruel cross-section of all the fundamental components of Redimoni's sound- barbaric, spleen-liquidating speed metal, holler-along choruses, tight, but spontaneous musicianship and refined, almost saccharine melodicism. Fantastic song.

A few words must be spared to the exceptional bass playing throughout- this fellow has clearly been listening to his Steve Harris, and as a bassist I do admire how capable yet imaginative his work is throughout. Fluid, dependable basslines shift in and out of the pocket, and the rich, LOUD bass sound is very welcome here.

A few complaints then- while the production is otherwise impeccable, natural and wholesome, I can't help but recoil slightly whenever a solo pierces out of the mix. The leads kind of have a "plugged into the soundboard” feel that Countess have, and while that undoubtedly works for Countess, I can't help but feel like there is a bit of a divorce between the lead passages and the fervent, insistent, SHARP guitar sound employed on the verses here. Also, the vocals could certainly use some improvement- some of the shriller black metal “squeals” (appropriately described in the booklet, I must say) can get a little unnerving/thin sounding. I cannot help but feel as though the vocals could be bolstered a little by some reverb, as they do sound a little bare and awkward at several points during the recording. Otherwise, all the RIGHT production choices were made for this one, it sounds accessible, spontaneous and HONEST like good thrash metal should.

All in all, a worthy investment for all aficionados of sincere, impassioned heavy metal and proof that Spain isn't all silly goregrind and Norsecore (Somebody direct me towards some Baron Rojo worship bands, please!). Very interested in seeing what a full-length platter will offer.

June 9th, 2006