Genocide Shrines: Devanation Monumentemples

While India barely has a handful of credible extreme metal acts, the metal scene in Sri Lanka seems to be brimming with bands that are committed to their sound and don't try to sweeten the deal with the inane 'prog' or 'melodic' additives too many Indian bands resort to. And then there's the integrity factor - even some of the most avowedly recidivist Indian bands sound to me like they've studied mainstream 90s metal melody more closely than is strictly old school. You don't get any of that with bands like Funeral In Heaven, or Genocide Shrines.

Genocide Shrines' sound is definitely not for the metal experimentalist or the -core fan who wants something a little more kvlt to round out his playlist; it's uncompromisingly primitive and dark music. If you like Inquisition, Archgoat or Grave Miasma, you might find this to your liking. It lurks on the slower end of that spectrum and the riffing is on the simplistic side, but I get the strong sense that this is a matter of a chosen idiom rather than a product of musical inadequacy.

I will however say that this debut EP suffers from Necros Christos Syndrome - the interludes and intros can get in the way of the music. With only 4 substantive songs on display here, I did find myself coming to resent those interludes on repeated listens, but that was because I'd have liked to hear more songs like the doomy 'Apparitions of Spiritual Obliteration' or 'Nectars of Tantric Murder', a sluggish, ritualistic number that is easily the highlight of the album.

To sum up, this is a solid, credible band and a brilliant first release for the Cyclopean Eye label. But too damned short at just under 20 minutes.