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░ ██ ██ Artist: Divine Eve / Vex ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Vengeful and Obstinate / The Circular █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2012 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2012-09-07 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Death Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Obliteration Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Split ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ Dallas doom/death metal act Divine Eve has been █
█ highly revered in this column, and for good █
█ reason, since their Celtic Frost-channeling, █
█ d-beat death metal represents some of the best in █
█ the Texas metal underground. Likewise, VexÆs █
█ progressive take on extreme metal is fascinating █
█ and quite unique, always offering up something new █
█ to the listener. Having witnessed a killer Vex █
█ performance in Austin on Friday (where your humble █
█ author acquired a copy of this split), itÆs safe █
█ to say that a review of the 2012 split between Vex █
█ and Divine Eve was in order, and the release █
█ easily maintains the quality that both bands are █
█ known for. Curiously, this is not the first time █
█ that these two bands have released a split album █
█ together, as more vigilant devotees of these acts █
█ will note their 2010 split release which contained █
█ a similar track listing to this release. █
█ Nonetheless, this new split is well worth █
█ purchasing, as music offered by the two bands is █
█ simply too good to pass up. █
█ Divine Eve initiates this split with four tracks █
█ originating from their ôVengeful and Obstinateö █
█ EP, one of whom features none other than Sir █
█ Proscriptor McGovern of Absu. The song in question █
█ (ôWhispers of Fireö) also happens to have the most █
█ energetic riffing on the album, with punky █
█ drumming and guitar playing that goes straight for █
█ the throat. This song is old-school to the core, █
█ with raspy vocals shouting over vicious power █
█ chords that serve the song well. Despite the █
█ somewhat thrashy direction that ôWhispers of Fireö █
█ displays, doom fans need not worry about the band █
█ losing its touch at playing slow grooves, as █
█ tracks like ôThe Ravages of Heathen Manö █
█ demonstrate. The song creates a regal atmosphere █
█ that also contains some very eerie guitar parts █
█ aided by intense drumming, and it certainly closes █
█ out their half of the split in a well-executed █
█ way. The songs on this split are somewhat more █
█ diverse in terms than on the landmark ôAs The █
█ Angels Weepö EP, which had a more consistent █
█ songwriting style. █
█ Production-wise, the guitar tone isnÆt quite as █
█ crunchy as ôAs The Angels Weepö, although it is █
█ still quite crushing, and the riffing is highly █
█ sinister as a result. The vocal style is highly █
█ fitting of the music, and there isnÆt anything on █
█ the split that even comes close to a weak track. █
█ In particular, the lead guitar playing should be █
█ hailed, as the solos on this split fit their █
█ backing rhythms perfectly, and are very old-school █
█ in essence. The overall mix of extreme styles █
█ benefits Divine Eve well, and itÆs safe to say █
█ that the four songs present on this split should █
█ easily win over those who are unfamiliar with █
█ Divine Eve. █
█ While following Divine Eve is no easy task, Vex █
█ are easily up to the challenge, producing three █
█ songs of excellent quality that easily keep the █
█ metal vibe rolling. Without question, the standout █
█ track on the Vex side of the split is ôWastelandö, █
█ a seven-and-a-half minute epic that contains █
█ everything from clean-picked guitars to crashing █
█ chugging sections and an incredibly memorable riff █
█ which has the potential to be stuck in oneÆs head █
█ for months at a time. One notable thing about █
█ ôWastelandö is the fact that so many structural █
█ variations that are present - even though it may █
█ sound like a riff is being repeated, thereÆs █
█ usually a slight difference that adds flavor to █
█ the songÆs presentation. The other two songs on █
█ the EP, ôNo Such Thingö and ôThe Circular Ruinsö █
█ both showcase a catchy sense of composition that █
█ blends progressively-intricate hooks and █
█ traditional metal riffing in order to deliver a █
█ fusion that is truly like no other. Guitarists █
█ Michael Day and Ciaran McCloskey play off each █
█ otherÆs strengths and showcase effected guitar █
█ licks, emotional chord progressions, and flashy █
█ fretboard gymnastics, and the end result is █
█ idyllic for fans of progressive extreme metal. The █
█ rhythm section is clearly well-versed in their █
█ craft, mixing interplay with the bass guitar and █
█ percussion to craft an intriguing base on top of █
█ which the guitars and vocals reside. █
█ The production on VexÆs side of the split puts the █
█ guitars at a front-and-center position of the mix, █
█ while the low-rumble of the five-string bass █
█ collides with the percussive assault to mesh █
█ together in a refined stew, while the vocals are █
█ at a perfect spot in the mix, offering up a █
█ diverse blend of deathy growls and mid-range █
█ shrieks. The production allows the chops of the █
█ musicians on this split to shine through and █
█ simultaneously impress and connect with the █
█ listener, a goal that all progressive metal acts █
█ should aim for. █
█ This split should easily be seen as a recommended █
█ purchase for all fans of Texas metal. Whether you █
█ prefer the more traditional doom/death of Divine █
█ Eve or the progressive attack of Vex, itÆs easy to █
█ say that both bands deserve your support. ThereÆs █
█ no word on whether or not Divine Eve or Vex will █
█ play San Antonio soon, but if it happens, █
█ attending should be seen as mandatory. █
█ █
█ NOTE: According to Vex, the track listing on their █
█ side of the CD is actually incorrect, so keep that █
█ in mind when listening. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Divine Eve - Vindication 2:48 ░
░ 2. Divine Eve - Grievous Ascendance 4:40 ░
░ 3. Divine Eve - Whispers of Fire 3:42 ░
░ 4. Divine Eve - The Ravages of Heathen Men 6:01 ░
░ 5. Vex - The Circular Ruins 4:25 ░
░ 6. Vex - No Such Thing 7:34 ░
░ 7. Vex - Wasteland 6:19 ░
░ 35:29 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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