BY STEVE THIRIOT
To start, I am excited to review an album I have been listening to for nearly 20 years! Crematorium's "The Process of Endtime" released in July 2005 is a throwback to the Pre-Metalcore and Pre-Deathcore era when raw emotion, unbridled aggression, and intricate musicianship merged to birth what has since been nostalgically termed 'Murdercore'. This album is a exemplification to the pure essence of extreme metal, distilled to its most vicious and poignant form.
Band leader Daniel Dismal is one of my all time favorite vocalists; He is one of the hardest working musicians I know and a great human being!
The album kicks off with a blast. 'Bloodwake' Destroys all in its path and thrashes with unyielding force, making an immediate statement about Crematorium's intentions with this release.
‘Reconstructed’ Does not slow down the momentum; With a blend of guttural growls and melodic bridges, this track will have you banging your head. The guitar solos scream with pain while the bass reverberates the depth of despair.
‘Drowing as One’ Noticeably more brutal but no less impactful, this track demands your attention and respect! 'Infinitesimal Acculturation' A direct critique of society's assimilation culture, this track is rife with technical guitar riffs and rapid drumming, symbolizing the rapid pace of societal expectations and the pressure to conform. ‘Perils of the Disillusioned’ Heavy, and brooding, it's a melancholic look at the consequences of facing harsh truths. The guitarwork midway adds layers of complexity, showcasing Crematorium's depth as musicians.
‘Dying Under a Binary Star’ I absolutely love the this title of this song, being a huge science fiction fan myself, it draws me in on the name alone. This track is so brutal it's savage
‘Turn a Blind Eye’ Excellent tremolo guitar riffs out the gate, intricate guitar work; This track could be a scathing commentary on society's indifference, the track uses erratic tempo changes and shrieks to bring forth the band's disdain for willful ignorance. ‘Born of the Deadtide’ With a haunting intro that paints a bleak seascape, this track pulls no punches. These riffs get stuck in my head. I play the track on repeat sometimes.
‘Testicular’ Perhaps the most perplexing title of the album, it's a direct, no-holds-barred brutal track that is relentless in its aggression. Upon completion of this review, I sent it to Daniel Dismal; he gave me some back story on this song and I wanted to share. From Daniel Dismal “About Testicular, it was basically a nod to one of our old drummers. He and I would joke about the over the top stuff in Death Metal and Hardcore, where people write about things to make themselves sound evil or tough. It's also a track that attacks people that start bands to make it or people who come into the scene to exploit others with no heart or conviction. The actual full title is ”Testicular Fibrosis Brought Upon the Insertion of Twinkies Into the Urethral Catheter", but we had to shorten it for sake of artwork" There you have it!
‘End of Days’ An apt closure, is a culmination of the album's themes, bringing to fore the realization of an inevitable apocalypse. Despair combined with the finality in the track, as it slowly makes its way to oblivion; Make for a chilling finale.
"The Process of Endtime" by Crematorium is not just an album but an experience. Almost 20 years old, and this album still gives me chills. It's a journey through the darkest corridors of human emotion, set to the powerful backdrop of Murdercore's undiluted intensity. It's a must-listen for any extreme metal aficionado, a nod to the golden days where music was an unapologetic reflection of raw emotion.
Listen to the album on BANDCAMP