CLOKSEED
"So That All May Witness" (Demo)
Reviewed by Jason Savage
Bred in the underground in Connecticut, Clokseed
belches forth aggressive and intense hardcore sludge. I didn't receive a band
bio, so I cannot give credit where credit is due. I did manage to find out that
there are four band members named Spencer, Don, Eric and Ed. This is their
second demo, the first one entitled "Kill Them While They're Afraid,"
was released in June 2000. They have opened for national acts such as Morbid
Angel, Anthrax, Fu Manchu, Chavelle, Yngwie Malmsteen, Exciter, Earth Crisis,
Pissing Razors, Drown, and Flotsam and Jetsam. With a four song demo in tow
entitled "So That All May Witness," I set about my task of breaking
down what I heard.
Track one, "Restricted," opens with a very deep bass lick and trippy
noises before I'm bombarded by some maniac vocalist. Fresh out of the Arkham
Asylum, I can just see the veins on his neck bulging as his gravel tinged
screech is blended with a second voice. The latter being deeper and more
haunting as it fills in the background. Amidst this chaos is a very heavy
Sabbath sounding riff and bassline. Does every band have guitars that sound like
Sabbath these days? The song changes pace several times during its 5 minute and
40 second run.
"I Become Everything," starts off slow before crunching into gear.
More deep seeded chords followed by the vocalists changing leads. The haunting
voice sings the lead in his deep Peter Steele drone. The gravel god yells in the
background, making this song interesting indeed. Pure Evil comes to mind,
although we're not talking Satanic or anything, just metal in a shroud of
darkness.
"Broken Chrome," arrives with a buzz, dueling between both speakers for a killer effect. The vocal barrage is spit forth once again by two separate entities, but the end result makes for a more unique experience.
"This is Right," crashes the party and is in your face from the get go. Pummeling guitars, bass and drums, over-shadowed by dueling crooners.
Just when I think the demo is over, I am faced with a 5th song. It actually sounds like a string of samples from a movie. Spencer told me it was taken from a black & white Johnny Depp movie called "Dead Man." {Editor's note: "Dead Man" is a great flick!} The sample is very bizarre, twisted and sick. I guess I'll have to rent the flick! Overall, Clokseed does a commendable job. I haven't really heard any groundbreaking stuff musically, but do Sabbathesque riffs ever get old? The dueling vocals make for a cool diversion. Definitely something to pick up!
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2000 by R.
Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
Revised: 15 Apr 2024 15:20:25 -0400
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