Fall Of The Bastards - Dusk Of An Ancient Age (2004)

Dusk Of An Ancient Age (2004)

Genre - Black Metal/Death Metal
Origin - Portland, Oregon
Time - 48:34 min.
File - 97.58 MB (320kbps)

With "Dusk of an Ancient Age" Portland, Oregon’s Fall of the Bastards concocts an interesting hybrid of shrill Black Metal violence, throaty Death Metal pummel, and clear, sharp NWOBHM/NWOSDM melody. The results are a powerful and compelling mixture displaying the far-reaching effects and influence of Black Metal on young, up-and-coming American musicians.

While Dusk of an Ancient Age’s overall tone is far distant from “pure” or “rulebook” Black Metal, its marriage of trebly, repetetive riffing to muscular lead guitar work is enthusiastic and authentic enough to silence those who might accuse FOTB of stealing Black Metal’s grim birthright, and of diluting its savage maelstrom. It is genuinely refreshing to hear a young American band splice together Scandinavian Black Metal influences with a strong At The Gates sense of melody, while avoiding the pitfall of merely “aping” the sounds. Purists be warned, there is as much Death Metal (and occassional glimpses of Hardcore) lurking within the folds of Dusk of an Ancient Age. The delivery of vocalist Jason alternates between a shrieked rasp not dissimilar from Marduk to guttural chest-bursting bellows that could messily bore into any Goregrind record.

Interesting things are rustling in the Northwestern corner of the USA, and Fall of The Bastards are only one of the leathery musical serpents to crack a scaled eyelid in that rainy clime. Following the lead of the criminally underheard Teenage Cthulu, and contemporary with Olympia, Washington’s Wolves In the Throne Room, Fall of the Bastards further convolute a sometime Black Metal tradition in their interest in active and distant touring. This DIY approach will hopefully ensure a wide audience for this interesting band. The well-designed cd version of Dusk of an Ancient Age offers four live tracks, which, if indicative of Fall of the Bastard’s live sound, show that FOTB live are raw and energetic performers who are, if anything, even more triumphantly punishing without a recording studio’s polish. (a review taken from their myspace page)

Track List:
1. In The Midst Of Obsolete
2. Intrinsical Lost
3. Put To Death II
4. Signs Of Impending Apocalypse
5. Angelrot
6. Otherwise Blank Expression
7. Idiocy Parade
8. Dawn ( The Mourning After)
Bonus live Tracks 2/1/03
9. Where Dead Hang From Trees
10. Put To Death I
11. Otherwise Blank Expression
12. Wanderers Of A Deserted Plain

Fall Of The Bastards managed to put out a couple of splits, one with Wormwood and one with Book Of The Black Earth and two full lengths Where Dead Hang From Trees (2003) and this before calling it quits. This was released on Intollerant Messiah, the now defunct label from San Mateo, Ca. that was run by Lord Balsakk from the Agents Of Satan. I really liked this band I would say equal parts Death, Black metal and Crust. Since disbanding the members have moved on to form or join other kickass musical projects such as Splatterhouse, Oakhelm, L'Acephale and D'Gul, hit their page up by going here and check out what they are creating now days.

Put To Death