After a four-year hiatus, Polish death metal band Lost Soul return. Frontman Jacek Grecki (vocals/guitar) was close to quitting the band, but after some profound soul searching he and the bass player Damian "Czajnik" Czajkowski gathered a new lineup around themselves. The band's fourth full length album,'Immerse in Infinity', is the result this new lineup created.
Lost Soul possesses three important traits: They are bloody good players, they can compose great death metal, and they manage to sound at least somewhat characteristic. "Characteristic" does not mean "unique", mind you. When talking about Polish death metal, yes, Lost Soul do sound very much like it. Take bands like Vader and Behemoth and there are Lost Soul's Polish connections.
Lost Soul love to do it fast, but none of the songs are a quickie. However, usually they don't do much of foreplaying, but give it nimbly like a rabbit, with one drastic difference: Only one of the songs reaches its climax in under 6 minutes; most are between 6-7 minutes, and one lasts almost 10 minutes. Endurance, stamina, potency. Enough of stupid copulating "joke" scribbling for now. Let's try to depict a song or eight, and see how Lost Soul's compositions work like.
Just like the album's cover artwork hints, or made me want to think so, 'Revival' begins sounding like a scifi movie. Distant echoes of the universe and machiney/alien/cybernetic effects fill the void with electric guitar riffing. The intro builds up into disruptive power of a black hole, as the band starts doing their death metal. And let me tell you, they are in their whirling form, as they go into the blasting mode. Some slower riffage comes in, but the pace really does not decelerate. The band are both fast and heavy simultaneously. Plus intelligible when talking about the catchiness of music. Mid-Eastern intonations are utilized. Guitar solos are pretty meaningful. During these seven minutes the band do not lose their grip, so the song stays close to chaotic, never going over the edge, but flushed in dramatic colours. Fast-forwarding to '...If the Dead Can Speak' ('Personal Universe' simply dwells in the same zones as the opener, so that's the reason for skipping detailing it). Now this song is different to the first two with its groovier essence. It is like a Fear Factory song processed through death metal conveyor: Catchier riffing, headbangable tempos and generally with easier-to-enter state of mind, this song serves as a good breather, because '216' again grabs your balls and rips 'em off faster than you realize what happened. Which you never will, if you're not in for some insanely fast stuff. "Insane" is not exaggerated, not a bit. With 'One Step too Far' you also can revisit the depiction of the opener, but reminding that every fast song has a different shading to them... 'Breath of Nibiru' almost made me mention Morbid Angel. Anyway, this monumental song is like a celestial sweep of gods' hands. Both approachable and beastlike, its dramatic narration is superlative on the album. A needed break for only-highspeed songs. 'Divine Project' is more or less about speed again, with numerous interesting tempo changes and flirtings with melodies. The closer 'Simulation' begins with tribal style music, which feels a tad too MIDI. However, it just contrasts the sheer power with what the band crashes in. Throwing on the canvas their whole palette of tempos, atmospheres and skills, the song is a perfect ending.
The only not-so-multi dimensional aspect about Lost Soul are the vocals. Throaty voice of Mr. Grecki is the dominant style. It is good enough, because it is angry enough and what's more important, the words are pretty easily heard. There are some spoken bits and other transitions, so it does not become dull-edged on th vocals department. Vader's Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek is closest comparison I can think of. Deep lyrics ponder about such things that is human race planned by ancients from stars, who is I (no, not that Norwegian band...), what is I... And of course some bashing of Christianity, done with style. And oh yes, Wieslawsky Bros. production is basically flawless, covering every needed aspect from balanced to heavy.
If the previous album 'Chaostream' (2005) was "just" Earthly hell, then 'Immerse in Infinity' really goes to stars. And beyond the known universe. Lost Soul easily fill the gap of four years of inactivity in releasing territory with this one. Or was it 13,7 billion years' gap...
Rating: 8½ (out of 10) ratings explained
Reviewed by Lane
10/11/2010 20:34
