Jade – The Pacification of Death Review

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Ok, as usual, first things first. I swear to God that when I took a look at Jade “The Pacification of Death” I thought it would be a Glam Metal or Hard Rock band. Somehow in my twisted mind Jade couldn’t be Extreme Metal because it’s a beautiful green precious stone very well-known as the raw material for lots of kind of art from rings to statues. Beauty isn’t exactly the forte of Extreme Metal as we all know. However, for the intiated as we are Extreme Metal does have its malevolous beauty. There are people like us metalheads that see the beauty in a cloudy dark day. After all sadness, despair and wrath are par of life and not only a sunny day with blue skies.

Finally, I guess I’m getting to know what Metal music is all about. I mean, with these six years here I got to know – I guess – all subgenres and styles of Metal music. “The Pacification of Death” is from a style that I admit I don’t know much. I mean, I’ve known a few Gothic bands since the late 1990s, but not too many. It was here that I got to know some subtle facetes and traits of what is called and considered Gothic Metal. Some nuances now are getting clear to me. Musicwise, “The Pacification of Death” has many features of Old School Heavy Metal with some touches of Doom and Death. The cadences and tempos very a lot here. There are also lots of melody in the guitars via licks and twin guitars. Vocals are the touch that give the Gothic element mixing a cavernous voice with a clean however mysterious one. The contrast of the melodic guitars with the gloomy voice gives the tone. A common feature of the album as my dear child of the night might have notices as in “Dragged Fears & Drowned Bone” is the use of strong low guitar chords intertwined with guitar melodic phrases. The effect Jade get is gigantic and a stapler of the band as the double bass drumming that double the tempo giving an impression that the song is faster. Following track “Emanation of Decay” makes all these features stronger with its faster drumming and guitar though vocals that don’t follow the same kick. Contrasts. The contrasts I love.

Jade “The Pacification of Death” will be released on November 25th via Pulverised Records.

Track Listing:

  1. The Pacification of Death
  2. Dragged Fears & Drowned Bone
  3. Emanation of Decay
  4. Silk Ransoms
  5. Ghastly Eyes
  6. The Saddest Night

Watch “The Pacification of Death” official music video here: