DEVILISH IMPRESSIONS - The I - [2017] - Album Review by NPH - Rate 9/10

DEVILISH IMPRESSIONS
COUNTRY: POLAND
GENRE: BLACK DEATH METAL


Layout, design and artwork by Infected Minds

DEVILISH IMPRESSIONS - "THE I" - CD/VINYL - 2017

CD Digipak track listing:
01. The I
02. The Dove and the Serpent
03. Eosphoros
04. Blood Imprinted Stigma
05. Ipse philosophvs, daemon, Devs et omnia
06. Czern i Biel
07. The Fatal Messiah

Vinyl track listing:
01. The I
02. The Dove and the Serpent
03. Blood Imprinted Stigma
04. Eosphoros
05. Ipse philosophvs, daemon, Devs et omnia
06. The Fatal Messiah

RECORDING LINEUP:
Icanraz - drums
Quazarre - guitars / vocals
Vraath - bass / backing vocals

GUESTS:
Mike Wead (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate) – lead on “Ipse philosophvs…”
Ronny ‘Ares’ Hovland (AETERNUS) – vocals on “Ipse philosophvs…”
BÖN – shamanic ritual interludes on “The I” and “The Fatal Messiah”
Przemysław Nowak – interludes, additional background tunes and fx

PRODUCTION;
Quazarre
Co-produced by Przemysław Nowak and Icanraz
Mixed and mastered by Przemysław Nowak at Impressive-Art Studio, Nov 2015-Feb 2016

RECORDING:
Drums recorded by Piotr Polak at Dobra12 Studio, May 2015
Guitars recorded by Quazarre at Icaros Studio, Jun-Sep 2015; re-amped by Przemysław Nowak at Impressive-Art Studio, Oct 2015
Vocals recorded by Przemysław Nowak at Impressive-Art Studio, Aug 2015



DEVILISH IMPRESSIONS - The I - 2017 - LifeForce Records
Genre: Black Death Metal

"(...)In glory I rejoice,
wash my wounds clean
in torment I evolve
behold the I supreme" The I - DEVILISH IMPRESSIONS

THE BAND:
Hailing from Poland the epic three piece black/death metallers Devilish Impressions have just released their 4th full length album "The I". The band has been formed back in the year 2000 and ever since they have been raising hell with their experimental black/death metal, enduring through the genre and reaching fans all across the world! Since early times the band has been paving their path to success across the extreme metal universe, denying the expected the band has always developed their highly elaborate sound enriched with a mind liberating eloquent lyricism. Though the years the band has developed their sound into a deep dark elaborate extreme metal experience to the listeners, on "The I" the band has revealed their highly developed blend of black and death metal, an authentic expression of the highest rebellious art in form of extreme metal music.
Ever since their debut demo "Eritis sicut Deus..." and album "Plurima Mortis Imago" the band has conquered the attention of both media and fans which has allowed the band to grow and tour with bands such as Aeternus, Behemoth, Marduk, etc conquering stages all over Poland, Europe and even in China!

THE NEW ALBUM:
"The I" is a huge step forwards on the bands career, even more once we compare it with its predecessor "Simulacra". The deep dark, emotional blackness and blasphemic highly detailed structure is something beyond impressive on the bands new opus, a proof of extreme metal dominance and "know-how"! The musical complex structures, the experimental dark melodies, the torturing and sickening pitch black atmosphere that becomes the horrid scenario of each song on this phantasmagorical piece are a delight to ones ears! Colder, rawer and darker than ever before Devilish Impressions mind liberating extreme metal art will absorb each listener attention since the very first contact, forcing you to listen to the whole new album again... and again, digging deeper into each layer of the bands extreme musical expression.
The new album is by far, one of the darkest, heaviest and most intriguing band creation to the date, not as direct as "Simulacra" was, but also not an unbearably complex experimental musical experience!
Devilish Impressions new album "The I" carries with it a very strong message, a message of individual supremacy over externally imposed factors, such as religion and all their dogmas, convictions and paradigms. This exterior factors have always been opposition towards our own individual perfection! "The I" is surely allot more than just the phonetic acronym of the band's name, on this album Devilish Impressions will take their listeners deeper on such philosophical mater! Just dig deeper into "The I" and you will see!

ALBUM DETAILS AND ARTISTS:
The new album is a result of several studio recordings and an impressive final mix and mastering at Impressive-Art Studio by Przemyslaw Nowak, the final result is one of the bands most organic dark sound to the date!
Quazarre the mastermind behind Devilish Impression creations (lyrics and music) and the only remaining founding member has developed on "The I" one of the most outstanding and extensive vocal works ever, diverging from virulent and deranged vociferations into guttural, yet using still some minor clean vocalisations and phantasmagorical whispers. The whole Quazarre guitar melodies, solos, leads and addictive riffage are beyond impressive... heavy, dark, sinister and pitch black! Icanraz work behind the drumkit is also remarkable, no triggers, just natural and majestic dynamic drums that enhances each detail of this epic piece of black/death metal. Vraath bass lines give all the right pulse to this demanding creation. Need to mention also the guest appearances of BÖN who contributed with some shamanic ritual interludes, Mike Wead (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate) who contributed with an impressive guitar lead and Ares (AETERNUS) with some vocal lines, both on “Ipse philosophvs…” track.

ALBUM TRACKS:
On "The I" each song has it's right balance and dynamism, fitting on each other as a whole darker than black experience, tracks like "The I", "Eosphoros" (φωσφόρος [GR] / Lucifer) are probably the most direct/catchy tracks of the whole album, on the other tracks you surely need to dig deeper and be absorbed by each delightful detail of its structure. Without a doubt this album will catch ones attention on such detailed structures of darkest splendours, songs like "Blood Imprinted Stigma", "The Dove and the Serpent" and "Czern i Biel" are a proof of that, a true delight to such tormented ears! "Ipse philosophvs, daemon, Devs et omnia" is probably the most experimental track of the whole album. The band ends this album with "The Fatal Messiah" which is an epic track that combines within its soul the quintessence of the whole band evolution to this stage, the catchy heavy and melodious harmonies confronted with the harsh and experimental deeper dark formula!

THE CONCLUSION:
In all "The I" is surely in my opinion among the best albums of black/death metal of 2017. Such elaborate and delightful work is a sign of dominance over such crafted dark arts! Without a doubt, from the beginning to its end, this is the most organic and dynamic album that has been delivered by Devilish Impressions, probably this is as well their most heavy and darker experience to the date! Colder, rawer and yet enriched with details that shall keep your attention since the very first listening, this album has all the best elements to thrive on this demanding extreme metal universe... a "must have" darker than black piece of musical excellence not to be missed by any adept of black/death metal art! Such mind liberating eloquence and rebellious art is hard to find this days, grab your piece and support this outstanding band!

Be your own God and lead your life in your own way, life if yours not others! Deny any form of religion and unleash yourself from any tying chains of oppression, you have been born free so rise up triumphant, enhance THE I within yourself!
RüPä - NeKronos Promotion HELL

RATE: 9/10

"The I"  : Official Videoclip :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6feb0OlaEro



"Eosphoros" : Single : Spotify :
http://smarturl.it/eosphoros_spotify
"Eosphoros" : Lyric Video :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeJKjIhon6Q



"Ipse philosophvs, daemon, Devs et omnia" : Audio Clip :
https://youtu.be/rj_iy0ry30U




MORE ABOUT THE BAND @ THIS LINKS:
OFFICIAL SITE: HTTP://WWW.DEVILISH-IMPRESSIONS.COM 
FACEBOOK PROFILE: HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DEVILISHIMPRESSIONS
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DEVILISHIMPRESSIONS 

CONTACT / BOOKING:
MANAGEMENT:
MATT YOUNG FOR EXTREME MANAGEMENT GROUP
E-MAIL: EMG.MATTYOUNG@GMAIL.COM

BOOKING
NORTH AMERICA | AARON GRAY
E-MAIL: AARON@HEAVYTALENT.COM

EUROPE AND ROW | MATT YOUNG / EXTREME MANAGEMENT GROUP
E-MAIL: EMG.MATTYOUNG@GMAIL.COM

BAND | QUAZARRE
E-MAIL: QUAZARRE@WP.PL