Review by Alex Grindor on May 24, 2022.

Hailing from the city of Caldera, Chile, Agalariept is a death metal band that has been active for over 10 years at the time of this writing. The band's first release was a full-length titled Jugando A Ser Dios in 2016. A record that I personally despise and have not been shy to express this countless times ever since that album was released. With a sub-par production, barely average vocals and (at best) mediocre riffs, it was a sorry excuse for an independent death metal record (which I personally consider a glorified EP). Despite what I may think of the product, it made the band very well-known in the scene and were invited to play countless times. By 2019, they started working on their second full-length and eventually, the band went in complete silence regarding this new record.

Of course, this can be attributed to the pandemic that struck the world in 2020, but there was barely any news regarding the band or the work they were doing. There were some singles published during this period of almost complete silence, and I noted that there were improvements in the sound but barely anything else beyond that. In late 2021, due to circumstances that need not be explained here, I received the entire album for download from one of the band members (who's a close friend of mine). The name was Desde El Supremo Reino and I decided to listen to it, half expecting the album to be a slight improvement of the same boring musicianship of their previous album. And at that moment, I was at a loss for words.

In the same way that "Slaughter Of The Soul" represents a complete stylistic shift for At The Gates, Desde El Supremo Reino signifies the same for Agalariept. Opening with the instrumental 'Inframundo', this track serves the purpose of introducing both the new members of the band and their new sound. A sound that is so far beyond what the band had done in the past, it feels like you are listening to a completely different band altogether. In many ways this is the case, as many of the original members left the band years ago and only Jonathan (vocals) and Jose Soto (guitars) are the only original members left. Inducted into the band are new members Carlos Carrizo (guitars), Victoria Lopez (bass) and Felipe Ruz who, despite being credited as the drummer for the album, actually joined the band after the recording was completed. With this new line-up established, we are presented with a monstrous sound, dripping with technical guitarwork and demolishing drums. In less than 1:30 minutes, 'Inframundo' demolishes their previous album in its entirety, paving the road for this new cacophony of obliteration.

After this brief introduction, no second is wasted in the following tracks. Brutality ensues constantly and there is not a single moment where it seems that it will subdue. Soto & Carrizo display their skills in chaotic and technical riffs played as tight as possible. Soto's leads are wonderful and made for the songs rather than being a wankery showfest, which is something I welcome. Victoria's skills are commendable as well, as she is a proficient player whom I've seen improve over the years. Despite the mixing not making her presence very clear (as it happens in extreme metal), you can still trust that her playing is as tight as her fellow comrades. She, alongside Carrizo, is also responsible for songwriting and arrangements, with at least a couple of tracks being co-written by Victoria. The drums in this album, as stated previously, were not recorded by Felipe Ruz. Instead, session drummer Marcelo Power (of the legendary Chilean band Homicide) was in charge of the drums. He absolutely pulverizes the drum kit, with constant blast-beats and abrupt time changes while never even for a second letting it up. And last but not least, the vocals. Jonathan has improved to such a degree from the first album that, at first listen, it is unrecognizable. His delivery is on par with Glen Benton's performance in Vital Remains's "Dechristianze". Demonic growls and deafening shrieks intertwined with each other in perfect harmony. Singing praises to the demonic kingdoms below and acts of the unspeakable on human corpses.

The album is well-mixed and the intensity of the music is constant while always introducing something new, barely repeating themselves in each track (though the tracks themselves have a bit of repetition). Despite all of the album being a beast, track 8 is the weak link of the record, with a forgettable riff that sounds off-place in this record. Aside from that and some minor lyrical inconsistencies, the 6-year wait for this album was entirely worth it (not least of which because it was recorded twice, with the original recordings being discarded by the band). This record signifies a rebirth for this band and established Agalariept as a fearsome tech-death band that has set a new standard for death metal in Atacama, and to which every subsequent work will be measured against. It is a work that was rehearsed to death, recorded tightly and given an appropriate sound worthy of the music. While my opinion regarding their first album still sands, this new album is one of my favorites and has earned them a new fan. If you like Suffocation, Bloodbath and vocals a la "Dechristianize", then this is a must-have for you.

Conozcan El Supremo Reino!

Rating: 9.1 out of 10

Review by Jack on November 16, 2004.

The one-record-a-year band, Runemagick, return again in 2004 with another funeral doom record that may be their most accomplished record to date.

A brief listen of On Funeral Wings might only sound marginally better than its predecessors. One can immediately notice a newfound sense of depth in each track, effectively pulling in the listener more than past records. However, it's on the fifth, sixth and seventh listens that On Funeral Wings really comes of age, and demonstrates that their hard work (releasing something every year since 1997) has paid off.

Runemagick operate at three speeds: slow, very slow, and torturously slow. If you're looking for a quick fix, (of well... anything) then Runemagick might be the worst band for you to stumble upon. But if you're looking for something that will have you still interested after the 50th listen, then Runemagick is your band. On Funeral Wings succeeds because of its ability to suck listeners in with tracks that build up with each minute of their often lengthy duration.

Runemagick are still as consistent as ever in regards to their interpretation of funeral doom, but as with most consistent bands evolution will always be a problem. They're still the same act as they were many years ago. This can be problematic for those who enjoy seeing their favorite acts to constantly push the envelope. However, for some bands like Runemagick, that's not a pursuit they find to be worthwhile. If it's not broke, why fix it?

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 7
Originality: 6
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.6 out of 10

Review by Felix on July 3, 2019.

What is the shortest synonym for one eternal Sabina and thousand ephemeral musicians? You're right, Holy Moses is the solution. Agony of Death is another album of the front woman with an interchangeable line-up in the background. Well, a lot of these German bands that started in the eighties have a surprising stamina. Formations such as Grave Digger, Kreator, Sodom and many more have released tons of records throughout the decades and the question remains: was this really necessary? The names of the most popular works of these bands are "Pleasure to Kill", "Agent Orange" or, in the case of Holy Moses, Finished with the Dogs and they indicate that the most creative days are long gone. Nevertheless, Agony of Death removes dust from the Moses monument. More than that, it is a surprisingly strong performance.

No doubt, the songs have a good foundation. There is a lot of substance, energy and dynamic. Good preconditions for a thrash metal party, if I am not mistaken. Sabina's clever marketing strategy also works. Since Queen of Siam, she always sounded like an old witch after 48 hours without sleep and now, more than 20 years after the release of the debut, she has no problem to stick to her style. (I don't want to say that she has become old or that her voice sounds grumpy, this would not be very charming...) Melodic vocal lines have never been her metier and so she just keeps barking monotonously. But despite this monotony, she has a certain charisma and it goes without saying that she is one of the most important and formative voices of German thrash metal. It is great to hear that this voice is still a very good partner for the jagged and edgy riffs that shape great sections of the album. These riffs are the main pillar of the songs and they form exciting tracks like the openers ("Imagination" and "Alienation") or "The Cave (Paranemsia)". The climax is reached with "Pseudohalluzination" (have a look at the self-referencing lyrics of the chorus, Sabina travels through time) where the band integrates smoothly a guitar line of "Near Dark", the first track from "The New Machine of Liechtenstein". Or do I suffer from a pseudohalluzination? The artwork also builds a bridge into the past, because the strange creature from the debut's artwork spreads its wings again on the back.

Indeed, the guitars prevail, but synthesizers also play a role. Their intermezzos connect the songs and this original, yet dubious idea is at the expense of the density of Agony of Death. Okay, one might say this is no big problem, because the songs themselves are never dominated by these atmospheric gimmicks. Nevertheless, I do not really understand why the band chose this approach. Maybe the quintet wanted to demonstrate that the record has a good production, regardless of the vehemence of the music. This plan worked; the album sounds forceful, but it also puts the interludes into the right light. In other words, the production is on a par with that of its pretty strong predecessor, Strength Passion Will Power. Inter alia the drums score with a natural sound and I enjoy the fact that Atomic Steiff played them. This legendary dude was also involved in one of the best debut albums ever. Naturally, I am speaking about "Malevolent Assault of Tomorrow" from Violent Force, the most tragic band of the early German thrash scene that never released a successor. Their album avoided lousy tracks and the same goes for Agony of Death. The twelve pieces of the special version form a really vigorous unit and everybody with an affinity for large-sized (playtime: 70 minutes!), mature yet angry thrash can have a good time with this output.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10