How many times have you read a presentation of a Metal album by band’s record label, where words like "amazing", "superb" and "classic" are mentioned more than once in the actual script? You don’t have to tell me, I already know the answer to that question – that’s why every time I come across a demo which is presented to me with such words, I try to control both my excitement and anticipation.

Not long ago, I received the promo of the second album of a band called The Monolith Deathcult. Along with the actual CD, came Karmageddon Media’s press release which, to make a long story sort, was describing this release, called 'The White Crematorium', as the album that would teach us a new culture of Death Metal music! Was this a case of the Dutch label trying to sell us lead instead of gold?

Hell no! 'The White Crematorium' is an amazing extreme Death Metal release that should make both the band and their label proud to have released it. There are two words that can easily describe what the Dutch quartet has to offer in the nine compositions, which are featured on this release – pure aggression! Fans of Morbid Angel, Nile, Cannibal Corpse and Immolation will end up having a huge smile on their faces after listening to this album for the first time, and that’s because the band has managed to create an album that combines all those different elements that made all the above-mentioned bands popular in the first place.

Regardless to whether you go for a more direct approach to extreme Death Metal ('Army of the Despised'), prefer flirting with more Slayeresque guitar parts ('The Cruel Hunters') or end up getting hooked on the quite atmospheric My Dying Bride influenced composition 'The White Crematorium', you are guaranteed one thing: quality! I am more than excited with 'The White Crematorium', simply because I equally like all nine compositions – something that doesn’t happen that often any more! I am afraid, though, that being in the position of having to choose a favourite song of the album, I would go for 'Under the Blood Campaign', simply because of a quite catchy but at the same time simply amazing guitar riff which is present throughout this four-minute composition.

I would also like to make a special reference to the amazing job that the members of the band did in the lyrical section. It’s quite obvious that the band has a huge interest in history – the place where they draw their inspiration from. The lyrics, though, are written in such a professional way that they could easily be either parts of a university essay or even a historical research publication!

I find it quite important and encouraging that a band that has only been around for something like three years is capable of releasing such an exciting album as 'The White Crematorium'. Is it the fact that they come from a country with a rich extreme Metal background (Pestilence, Asphyx, God Dethroned), the Netherlands? Maybe yes! The bottom line is that you don’t have to write lyrics about the Devil in order to play 'evil' music – trust me on that!

****½

Review by John Stefanis

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***** Out of this world | **** Pretty damn fine |
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan |
** Instant bargain bin fodder | * Ugly. Just ugly