First things first, as usual. Extermination Order is a hell of a name to a Death Metal band. I couldn’t think of a more Death Metal name for a band. I mean, one that isn’t already taken. Sometimes it just seems that all the great names are already taken. Another interesting things about the band is that it is comprised of members originally from two different continents. It may seem easy to do nowadays, but have you ever imagined the logistic, my dear child of the night, only to book a rehearsal? Zoom solves everything? Well, not quite. Ok, I guess the first ones may be that complicated and little by little things get easier. I guess. I had my share of live rehearsals and I miss them not even a little. Go figure five guys from different countries. I just keep wondering how to make it work properly.
“The Siege of Ascalon” is an EP with only five tracks with an average of five minutes each. Extermination Order’s deal is the good old Melodic Death Metal more Death Metal than melodic, if you know what I mean. The guitars are not that simple, however they go straight ahead most of the times balancing short phrasings with low tuned chordly riffings. Vocals are a little, just a little, harsher that the usual to, then, make an interesting constrast with the guitars. The guitar phrasing is just amazing. The way they vary and change is so Iron Maiden that it’s impossible not to notice the influence. It calls the attention that all songs have lots of variations on riffings and rhythm guitars. That’s the thing that makes “The Siege of Ascalon” an album to stand out from the crowd. That and the art cover which depicts with lots of poetic license the band’s view of the siege of Ascalon, the theme they chose.
Ok, these days Melodic Death Metal isn’t exactly the most original of Metal subgenres, but there are bands that really try to do their part. Extermination Order are of them and “The Siege of Ascalon” is a great EP. Totally worth it.
Extermination Order “The Siege of Ascalon” will be released on via War Anthem Records.
Track Listing:
- The Siege of Ascalon
- Cadmean Victory
- An Iron Shroud
- Anon We Are Fallen
- Siege of Power
Watch “The Siege of Ascalon” official demo version here:
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