Album Review: Septicflesh - 'The Great Mass'

Right guys, here is my first review is a long while! I am writing it now as Eurovision is on, and i don't wish to spoil my brain. Here are the categories i shall be using to review gigs/albums:

1-2 Shit

3-5 Average

6-7 Good

8-9 Awesome

10 Classic

Septicflesh - 'The Great Mass'

Epic. Oh, you want more? Fair enough. Having released the mighty 'Communion' in 2008, Greek death-metallers Septicflesh seemed to be on top of their game. But they were far from it; because 'The Great Mass' is an epic (yes, it's that word again) masterpiece. But how could it not be? Not only do the band have the Prague Filmharmonic Orchestra and a female soprano (Androniki Skoula) stepping in to offer some symphonic depth, but guiding the whole project is a hefty Pete Tagtgren production. The result is a blockbuster of an album. Despite the inclusion of an orchestra, the songs do not drag or outstay their welcome but bash through the speakers with no remorse. The harsh vocals of Spiros Antoniou offer a dramatic contrast to the cleaner vocals of Androniki Skoula and Sotiris Vayenas, the standalone 'Rising' is a good example of this. Opener 'The Vampires of Nazareth' literally punches your ears clean off, whereas 'Mad Architect' feels like the inside of a schizophrenics head. Septicflesh have produced the most symphonic and dynamic listens of modern death metal. This is definitely the soundtrack to the apocalypse.

Rating: 9