French metallers Loudblast are a chameleon; they have released a long list of albums, which sometimes are thrash metal or at other time death metal, or then simply metal. However, they aren't such a chameleon as e.g. Metallica, Paradise Lost or Mortiis.

Through thrash and brutal death metal in their past, Loudblast's third full length album is a fantastic work in technical death metal field. Being in the vein of previous album 'Disincarnate' (1991), 'Sublime Dementia' is less brutal and more technical, more individual in every way. One of the trademarks is guitar work, which is claustrophobic and depressing in its nature. Uneasy listening, even though melodic at times, but you would whistle, except 'About Solitude'. The whole album has a weird atmosphere, which is impossible to be pictured with words. Maybe Cathedral-esque cover art is a good guidance point. While the atmosphere is weird, songs are good compositions and not just some musical jigsaws, as is the main problem with technical death metal in general. This isn't too "jazzy" neither. I can think of only two bands I would compare Loudblast era 1993 with: mainly Death but also Pestilence, and not because some other reviews mentioned the two. I recommend this to the fans of Death's 'Human' and 'Individual Thought Patterns', and Pestilence's 'Testimony of the Ancients' and 'Spheres', which were all released in 1991 and 1993, just like Loudblast's 'Disincarnate' and this one. Pace of the music varies from mid-paced to fast, the music flows naturally and songs are never overlong. Acoustic guitar spices up the material at times ('About Solitude' is, at least guitar-wise, an acoustic song with female soprano).

Playing is energetic yet technically good. The Scott Burns production is trebly, but thankfully metallic bass and kick drums do their job. I bet the band had their say about the sound. Vocals ranging from growl to throaty voice to spoken ones (another trademark) are rough, but not powerful even many a time overlapped. The sound is crystal clear, but guitar do have some bite. Lyrics handle (not printed, but found some on the net) with human mind, spirit and such things.

'Sublime Dementia' is an album, that doesn't strike with same amount of volts every time I listen to it. However, it's clear, that this album is one if the better technical death metal releases out there, so grab it if interested to such style. 'Sublime Dementia' has grown into a minor classic in my mind during these 11-12 years.

Rating: 9+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
01/03/2005 15:25