| ...and Darkness Drowned the Land Divine (CD) | 1998 | Teutonic Existence |
This album contains only 7 songs, but all of them are top class dark atmospheric songs. Every now and then, we get a slightly faster death metal attack, which keeps the attention to the album. The faster parts are great for their live appearances too. The lyrics are very doomy, touching different kinds of doom stereotypes: suffering, pain, pure darkness, but there's also a song about vampirism. All of this in English, French, German and an occasional sentence of Latin. In the background, sometimes female vocals or a synth are featured.
The best reference for this album would be Anathema's 'Serenades', with a deeper death grunt and a better, more professional production. This is top notch doom-death metal, a personal favourite of mine. But it's about time for a new release, if you ask me!
1. Trauma Paradise
2. The Bitter Kiss of Death
3. Finsternis
4. The Pain Eternal
5. In the Arms of Solitude
6. La Tristesse Eternelle
7. Burn the Flame of Sadness
Approx. 45 minutes
| Preludes of Darkness (Demo comp.) | 1999 | No label |
The first four songs on this disc make up their 1996 demo 'Our Path is Dark and Lonely', starting off with a classical sounding intro. This demo was recorded with the aid of Teutonic Existence Records. Last song of the demo is 'Trauma Paradise' would also become the opening track of their 1998 debut album. The third song on the second demo is called 'Dark From the Soul' and it shall be re-recorded for the album that should be released at the end of 2001. If the band manages to find a record label, that is.
The music sounds very much like on their debut album. The production could have been better, but we are still talking about a demo of course. After this demo, we can find a song that was recorded for the Detonation Vol.1 Metal Compilation in 1993. Especially the vocals sound a little different. We don't hear the very deep grunt of singer Criz like on the later songs. Criz' vocals are a bit more high pitched and we can hear some kind of grinding death vocals.
The vocals are even higher on the following songs, that date back from their first demo 'Insanity Reigns Supreme' of 1991. The cover artwork of that demo leaves no doubt: This is death metal music. Complete with faster, aggressive parts, lyrics about diseases and death and artwork in the fleshy vein. But it would not be Insanity Reigns Supreme if it were standard death metal. We hear experimental synth sounds for intros. Faster parts are alternated with slower, doomier parts. We also hear very short pieces of female vocals, sung by the same person from their debut album. The guitar has a lot of distortion and sounds very sharp. The drums are way in the back and bass or bass drum can hardly be heard at times, which is a shame.
It is clear that this band has had a long history. They became better musicians and songwriters during the years, but still it is interesting to hear where it all comes from. Too bad they need such a long time for writing an album. We had to wait 10 years for the debut. Let's hope we don't have to wait that long for the follow-up too.
1. The core of creation
2. Sorrowful end
3. Dark from the soul
4. Trauma paradise
5. Secular condolence
6. Mortalizing the dead
7. Lazarus' return
8. Altered existence
9. Red plague (condemned to burst)
Approx. 52 minutes
| Prophecy Of Doom (CD) | 2003 | Uxicon Records |
This album is a solid one, and is entirely what was to be expected. Five years in between and the addition of two new musicians obviously had an influence. However, the general sound and style of the album are very much Insanity Reigns Supreme like we have known them. Standard doom/death metal, with emphasis on heavy atmosphere by dual guitars and grunts, the occasional blastbeat or hook for variation.
Formally, the differences between first and second album seem small. Both albums have 7 songs (although the second one has 3 small intro parts), are packaged with artwork that has been taken care of, though overloaded with symbolism and occult imagery that sometimes smells overly ripe (see also the videoclip that was downloadable from this website).
Now onto things that matter: the music. We can hear the band exploring their paths further, but never jumping to another track. They stay within the limits that have been set to the genre, but manage to avoid the mindless drivel and degenerated run-off-the-mill substandard doomdeath that is flooding the market for the last couple of years. The songs are catchy, well worked out (well... they took their time for it anyway) and have more than enough variety to stay interesting. Especially the opening riff in 'Blasphemy' and the guitar hook in 'Invocation' are appealing. Most of the songs here will be sounding good in a live setting too, due to the catchiness and tempo variations. The occasional headbanger on a doom gig may be happy with the high "bang" factor as well.
Insanity Reigns Supreme is a band that I have followed closely over the latest years, so I have been awaiting this new album with high expectations. It gives me mixed feelings, due to the lack of real innovation (many of you will have heard most of this before) yet a very high quality level of the songs, heavy production, songs that can keep your interest, but lyrics that contain a few biblical references too many to be taken seriously. However, in general, the album pleases me. Once you put the imagery aside, a musically strong release remains. This one will be loved by those of you who think that Mourning Beloveth and early Novembers Doom made some of the best albums ever. And if doom/death with dual guitar countermelodies is your cup of tea, then Criz' grunts will certainly be the sugar in there.
1. ...the Prophecy...
2. Prophecy of Doom
3. Dawn of Awakening
4. Forever Damned
5. Blasphemy
6. ...the Revelation...
7. The Fallen
8. Invocation
9. Apocalypse
10. ...the Cult...
Approx. 43 minutes