Though the concept of objectivity sounds nice in theory, there’s really so such way to evaluate an album in practice. This is especially true if, at that moment of listening, the sound is exactly what you’re looking for. Erazor is known as a blackened thrash metal band from Germany. Though this may conjure up thoughts of bands like Aura Noir and Destroyer 666: Erazor’s approach aligns much closer to that of the genre’s early years.
In a way, the band embodies all the best in the primordial extreme metal of the 80s, with echoes of early Sepultura, Sarcofago and Obsessed by Cruelty-era Sodom. But the band does not simply ape this style or remain confined to that formative decade. In fact, there’s a number of melodic riffs blended into the raw, reverb-heavy sound that bear a distinct resemblance to those found on Swedish classics like Storm of the Light’s Bane and Far Away From the Sun. Still, this is undeniably an example of punishing, abrasive dungeon metal.
Honestly, I can’t find enough good things to say about Dust Monuments, from the riffs, to the classic aesthetic and the production. The opener, “The Path of…” introduces the album with a heroic, thumping series of riffs that harken back to Dissection and De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas-era Mayhem. But as the album moves into “Total Might,” the band’s thrash influences come into full view, with reverb-heavy vocals and a helplessly catchy bridge in the middle of the song. And of course, the guitarists do that cool dive bomb thing, but without overdoing it.
Though the album has absolutely zero filler, “To See Them Dead” may be my favorite track, as it effectively combines the bands skills at creating melodic riffs with their penchant for controlled chaos. To call the band “blackened thrash” almost seems unfair. Erazor’s sound carries very little traces of “big four” influences, though one can hear some echoes of Testament, Dark Angel and other classic American bands.
Dust Monuments is a great example of a band, passionate about the styles of music they enjoy, wish to use the tropes of extreme metal but in a way that makes them feel vital once again. And with the tasteful use of solos and double-bass technique, it’s something the band excels at. At first listen, you can tell this is not a band playing out a series of affectations. Erazor clearly LOVE black metal, thrash metal and the melodic bands in the NWOBHM and Swedish traditions.
Though I would hate to fault a band that consistently does something well, the mid-range reverbed vocals can get a little tiresome. So when another vocalist suddenly jumps in with a slightly meatier, Max Cavelera-esque voice on “From the Abyss to the Void” it’s almost a relief, “finally someone who doesn’t sound like he has laryngitis yelling in a hallway!” Don’t get me wrong, I love what the lead singer does here, especially in the context of today’s autotuned overproduction. But by the time you reach, “Evil Shall Prevail” you feel a little exhausted.
But maybe that was the band’s intention: bludgeon the listener into submission with the sheer force of artistic consistency. In any case, Dust Monuments is an awesome extreme metal album.
8.5/10
Favorite Songs: “Total Might,” “To See Them Dead,” “From the Abyss to the Void,” “Evil Shall Prevail”
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