Ibex Throne – Total Inversion
The opening bars of Total Inversion sound pretty much like a run of the mill, bog-standard black metal band. However, not much further in, that thought is laid to waste as the main riff kicks in and you’re swept into a fast, interesting blend of pace and riffs.
As the second song blasts off it really makes you sit up and listen, launching into a whirlwind of a song: Crucified Whores (Of The White Light). Furious guitars and drums pummel away for the first minute or so until it settles down a bit. Up and down it goes with a range of fast, slow and medium paced riffing blasphemously delivered by a veritable Black Metal cluster bomb.
As the tracks slip by it seems Ibex Throne have drawn inspiration from a number of areas, most obviously early 90′s European black metal but more subtly the first wave of BM and black/thrash.
You have to keep reminding yourself that this is USBM because it sounds nothing like it should. The composition is brilliant and the songs aren’t laid out obviously before you like so many of their compatriot’s efforts. It so much more varied than other USBM acts too with a brilliant mix of tones and speeds. The vocals can plunge into dark growling one moment then surprise you by instantly letting forth a blasting scream.
Ibex Throne keep you guessing all the way to the ending – a ten minute beast lovingly introduced by Satan himself! (that’s what it says in the intro anyway…). The production is also worthy of note. Clear, crisp and concise but perfectly balanced to cope with the fast, slow, heavy and high bits without detracting from either. In conclusion Total Inversion isn’t an underground classic but it comes damn close in my opinion.
I admit I was more than a little sceptical when I got a request to review this Italian band. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a band that sounded more like some American gospel singers than satanic Black Metal! Thankfully after literally one second of listening my somewhat ridiculous assumptions were raped and pillaged [...]
I only recently discovered Rahu, who purvey original and very replayable Finish Black Metal of the highest calibre. This is a demo from 2008 that has since been released as part of a best of featuring this and their other demo on one CD. Although there are only three tracks delivering a mere seventeen minutes [...]
yes, excellent band.. I’ve listened to them a few times on Death.Fm, really dig this..cheers Waffen bro’..\m/
yea..i had this played in my ipod ocassionally..i love the sound of crispy guitar riffs,bit’ of thrash in it..blends well.