C(hrist) A(borted) I(n) N(ativity) come from the state of New York and this is the band's first demo. They have been together since September 2000, with some member changes.

The first track 'Luna's Requiem' is a doomy and eerie song. The vocals are clean and when they use two vocal tracks in a bit different scale, it sounds quite weird in Root-ish way. Truly a requiem, in a gothic vein... Sound is alright on this track. Then comes the song number two and the sound is really different. Much more blurry and shitty. And the song is old kind of death/black hybrid with growled and banshee-shrieked vocals, but without much of originality. Why so different sound?! '...Of Razor Blades and Membranes' sounds good again. It's an instrumental doomy death tune, where guitarist does some good solos between heavy crunching riffing parts. And the song speeds up towards the end, this faster stuff is what I really like. Definitely the best one on this demo, but how about adding vocals to it? The fourth track again features abysmal sound quality, but the song itself is really alright. Chaotic death thrash time...

About the performances now. The drummer is too inaccurate. The guitars are good and the vocals are brutal (except on the first song). Sadly I can't understand anything about lyrics...

Really a mixed bag, too mixed I think, because C.A.I.N. have no clear direction. Sometimes okay listening, sometimes sounds shit (I didn't say the music's shit!). Comes with colour printed cover (nice picture) and a bonus song (electronic sounds and angry speech). Guys, you need some practise to get all the pieces together seamlessly. And the songs are too different to each other, but I think you are more for that death/black/thrash thing? Very difficult to say where C.A.I.N. are going from this one. I wish 'em luck for next recording.

Reviewed by Lane
07/06/2001 11:37