CHURCH OF MISERY (Early Works Compilation) 2CD
For all of you readers who have missed (what a big mistake!) the early material of Japanese CHURCH OF MISERY now the time has come to fill the void in your collection and heart, because this is a true essential release, done by the excellent Japan-based label Leaf Hound Records. This double CD compilation contains all the material the band had recorded before the 2001 release "Master Of Brutality", what means that you find here the "Taste The Pain" MCD, the "Born Too Late" split CD, the "Murder Company" 10" , plus their contributions for the Trouble, the Black Widow and the Death SS tributes , and at least a previously unreleased song, entitled "Retal", dedicated to Howard Unruh, one of the sickest serial killers of all times.
Once again this compilation is an uncompromising statement that shows why CHURCH OF MISERY are still belonging to the best one can get when looking for 70's inspired heavy doom, strictly played in the vein of the first five Sabbath records. Monolithic riffs are drowned in a psychedlic-tinged atmosphere and the bass sounds as huge as one can imagine. The heaviness is simply skull-crushing and you can feel the tar-like riffs when they flow out of the speaker like molten lava. Since the birth of CHURCH OF MISERY back in 1996 several vocalists have joined the band, but no one of them had failed in doing his job. While the two full-length ("Master Of Brutality" and "The Second Coming") are more brutal and aggressive, the older material was a bit more creamy but not for a minute less overwhelming and always thick like the walls of a bunker.
Due to the reason that all songs are remastered one can feel it much better than ever before. The album contains 16 songs with a total running time of 100 minutes, and it's pure joy to listen to it. Whenever this band gets the chance to play here in Germany I will mark this day with a big cross in my calendar!!! Absolutely high recommandable and a must-have! Buy or die!
(KK)