### Astrophobos: Arcane secrets

#### 03/02/11 || Altmer

Swedish black metal demos are just some of those things in life that make you think: it makes sense, but is it necessary for every rebellious Swede to form a nekro, tr00 black metal band and play shittily produced demos that they send to everyone but nobody (except us here at GD) ever listens to? Not to say that this is bad, but what is the point? I think Sweden’s got more than enough good black metal to go on, thank you.

This Swedish demo is what you can expect of a demo from this style; it’s shittily produced, with drums annoyingly high in the mix. It features the requisite “melodic” guitars along with tremolo riffs, high-pitched black metal rasping, blastbeats and no bass. It sounds like everything else. It’s got all the elements for a good disc, but the songwriting is not there for me. You see, they do not have the ability to write the almighty godlike riff you will never forget. They do not have amazingly melodic “whoa, did I just hear that” moments. It is boring. It makes you fall asleep. And it’s a demo, so thankfully it doesn’t take all too long before the Sandman leaves again. Basically this band wants to be Dissection. But they’re not Dissection and they have to deal with it.

Is it well-done? Yes. Is it interesting? No. That’s the bottom line here. I don’t want to waste any more words on this stuff because this is the kind of album that makes people quit GD staff. It’s mind-numbing how many bands sound like so many other bands. Fuck it.

Recommendation: Every human is unique. Do yourself a favour and search your soul for what that is, but please stop producing metal that sounds like everything’s been done before.

- Information
- Released: 2010
- Label: Independent
- Website: www.astrophobos.com
- Band
- Micke Broman: vocals, bass
- Martin Andersson: guitars
- Jonas Ehlin: guitars
- David Schlein-Andersen: drums (session)

- Tracklist
- 01. Divine necromancy
- 02. Arcane secrets
- 03. Crossing the abyss