Sinister
Bastard Saints

THE REVIEW

Of bastards and saints; of demons and death.

This is all told in this short EP that Sinister released in 1996.

The Dutch land is their nation of origin; one of the European bands I have appreciated the most when it comes to Death Metal. On par with much more well-known and acclaimed groups like Entombed, Carcass, and Napalm Death. With a fierce and aggressive sound at least until the end of the nineties; and live a stunning war machine that left no survivors (I experienced it on my then-young skin!).

"Reborn From Hatred" is an instrumental introduction of just a few dozen seconds. You breathe a heavy, black, and ruthless air; and the gates of Hell swing open with the subsequent "Bastard Saints," which in the first part is played with barely restrained control. Until the sudden explosion, the turn towards that abrasive and piercing Death sound: always an exhilarating characteristic of the Dutch. Mike's voice is a cavernous and oppressive growl launching fierce barks against the Church; Aad's militaristic and lightning-fast drumming supports the heavy and ultra-violent work of the guitar-bass duo. In other words, one of my favorite songs not only by Sinister but of all Death Metal.

You find yourself in a sort of anxious wait with the mid-tempo "Rebels Dome," and you arrive at the pestilential sound hurricane represented by the listening of the last two songs; "Cross The Styx" and "Epoch Of Denial." Two tracks already known and published on their debut album of 1991, that "Cross The Styx" which is still among the pillars of the most extreme Metal. They mainly want to demonstrate their growth from a technical point of view: five years have passed, and even the production has become clearer, more compact. Two vile, muddy tracks that kill...BUY OR DIE...

Ad Maiora.