Rotem is the homonymous solo project of mastermind Rotem from Portugal. Rotem started his project in 2012, and after a demo in 2013, Humanity’s Fall, he released his first full-length in 2014.
Dehumanization is a 13 track album of technical black / death metal and is well done when it comes to riffs and intricacy. The songs are well structured and give proof of variety; sometimes the phrasing is slightly reminiscent of Nocturnus, American technical death metal band active in the 90s. Of course Nocturnus were much more sophisticated, while Rotem aims to be more extreme; but especially in the guitar solos, Rotem proves that he has a good technical mastery of the instrument. A drawback is that sometimes one has the feeling of a lack of concreteness, as in “War Fucking War”; other times the result is good, as in “God Complex”, perhaps the best song on the album thanks also to the clean vocals. Impossible not to notice Rotem’s thrashy approach, evident from the very first riff of the album, that is the opening riff of the eponymous track “Dehumanization”; this riff in particular is totally devoid of force, also because of an imperfect sound.
Dehumanization is certainly not very original, but it is in any case remarkable because it shows courage and awareness, and, not least, important technical skills, something that is not obvious. As a first sign of life of Rotem, I think it is an encouraging one. Keep on!
Notes:
Release date November 24 2014 on Ethereal Sound Works.
Tracklist:
1. Dehumanization
2. Human Condition Critical
3. Virtual Reality
4. Media Zombification
5. Hypocritical Politician
6. War Fucking War
7. The Pain
8. God Complex
9. New Age of Sodom and Gomorrah
10. Genesis 6:7
11. Procreation of the Wicked (Celtic Frost cover)
12. Behind the Mask
13. Creating Man
Personnel:
Rotem: all instruments
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com
Dehumanization is a 13 track album of technical black / death metal and is well done when it comes to riffs and intricacy. The songs are well structured and give proof of variety; sometimes the phrasing is slightly reminiscent of Nocturnus, American technical death metal band active in the 90s. Of course Nocturnus were much more sophisticated, while Rotem aims to be more extreme; but especially in the guitar solos, Rotem proves that he has a good technical mastery of the instrument. A drawback is that sometimes one has the feeling of a lack of concreteness, as in “War Fucking War”; other times the result is good, as in “God Complex”, perhaps the best song on the album thanks also to the clean vocals. Impossible not to notice Rotem’s thrashy approach, evident from the very first riff of the album, that is the opening riff of the eponymous track “Dehumanization”; this riff in particular is totally devoid of force, also because of an imperfect sound.
Dehumanization is certainly not very original, but it is in any case remarkable because it shows courage and awareness, and, not least, important technical skills, something that is not obvious. As a first sign of life of Rotem, I think it is an encouraging one. Keep on!
Notes:
Release date November 24 2014 on Ethereal Sound Works.
Tracklist:
1. Dehumanization
2. Human Condition Critical
3. Virtual Reality
4. Media Zombification
5. Hypocritical Politician
6. War Fucking War
7. The Pain
8. God Complex
9. New Age of Sodom and Gomorrah
10. Genesis 6:7
11. Procreation of the Wicked (Celtic Frost cover)
12. Behind the Mask
13. Creating Man
Personnel:
Rotem: all instruments
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com