Sinister
Diabolical Summoning

Where there is death metal, there is home, perhaps not for everyone, but for Elfo Cattivone, yes.

Given the scarcity of this exquisite sound-musical essence on these virtual pages, a remedy is urgently needed. In fact, the classic metallic reviews are missing, all steel and saltpeter, bold and somewhat myth-making.

Let us remember that a respectable death metal review presents the following characteristics:

• a brief history of the band in question, with references to its sacred and divine nature

• the list of all the band members, absolutely everyone, even possible session musicians who replaced the rhythm guitarist on a tour in the nineties

• a thorough analysis of the album in question in relation to the rest of the discography

• the phrase “blazing solos” mandatory and indisputable, even if there are no solos

• the use of adjectives like rotten, dark, catacombal, obscure, diabolic, sulfurous, infernal et simila

• accurate selection of the subgenre and description of all external influences

• mythologizing the old school by often writing old school with devotion

• condemnation of any commercial openings

• analysis of the reunion phenomenon, common to almost all bands

After this captatio metalvolentia, let's move on to talk about that bomb of Diabolical Summoning by Sinister, a concentrate of continuous slaps in "Reign in Blood" format, for those who don't know, the "Reign in Blood" format is used to quantify the duration of an album, equivalent to about thirty minutes. Normally, death metal albums last a “Reign in Blood” and a third, roughly forty minutes, was indeed the divine Chuck who established this duration because too much spoils, as is well known.

Since the album in question lasts less than usual, it goes without saying that it is super dense and explosive, a continuous attack, without mercy, an avalanche of ferocious rhythms and beastly vocals, like a particularly rough brown bear, with chest hair more bristly than the average of the species. The tension never drops, there is just a brief melodic solo, not blazing in this case, in the penultimate track Tribes of the Moon, but otherwise, there is no let-up, the assault is total, relentless.

The style, classic and personal at the same time, deviates slightly from their compatriots Pestilence and Asphyx, with very dry and abrasive riffing, getting closer to the rocky compactness of Benediction and the dynamic fury of vintage Malevolent Creation. A sort of Transcend the Rubicon played as if it were The Ten Commandments, with an almost perfect result that makes it a genre classic, although unfortunately a bit overlooked compared to the previous Cross the Styx and the subsequent Hate, just as Sinister themselves are somewhat forgotten compared to other bands in the scene.

Absolutely to be recovered for old school lovers (another banal and obvious phrase, but true).

One last warning for those who, not knowing the band, judge the album by the cover: the zombies and sparkling lightning are very Iron Maiden, but you can expect something quite different!