Kenose [Digipak]

Black metal is usually associated with bands like Venom and Deicide -- speedy tempos clashing with growled vocals. On the 2005 offering from France's Deathspell Omega, Kenose, the group follows this formula closely. But there are a few added elements -- a "Gallows Pole"-esque drum interlude kicking things off (before it gives way to the expected metal mayhem), and it turns out that the group is more accomplished at their instruments than the average death or black metal band. Guitars and drums are played with razor-sharp precision throughout, and the indecipherable vocals sound exactly like Beelzebub on a bad day. As a result, the album's three tracks are nearly impossible to differentiate from one another -- as they merely go by the song titles "I," "II," and "III." Kenose is marketed as an EP, but manages to stretch to 37 minutes in length (and they certainly didn't scrimp on the 40-page booklet included with the digipack version) -- good news for death metallists on a budget. ~ Greg Prato