Customer Reviews

Disintegrate

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4 star:		(4)
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Here's where I stand regarding Zyklon. I am aware of the accomplishments of members Samoth and Trym, both of whom helped to make Emperor into the all-star of black metal, and therefore I gave Zyklon the benefit of the doubt after they released "Aeon," which I was quite disappointed with, and purchased "Disintegrate," hoping, as it were, that they would have more or less reverted back to their unique black metal/death metal hybrid style heard on the marvelous "World Ov Worms." "Aeon" was certainly more `brutal' and `pummeling' than the grinding "World Ov Worms," but I also found it to be, in the simplest term, boring. "Disintegrate" is somewhere between "Aeon" and "World Ov Worms" as far as the style and evolution of Zyklon goes. It is certainly faster than "Aeon," but still more down-tuned and chug-laden than "World of Worms". It follows that I like "Disintegrate" more than "Aeon" but less than "World of Worms".

I never doubt the musical capabilities of Zyklon. They are tight, highly competent musicians, and their songs are generally well constructed and more or less interesting. On this, their newest release, Zyklon is treading familiar ground. Trym has decided to bring back the blast beats--not that they were missing on "Aeon," but they're certainly more prevalent on "Disintegrate"--and the fret-sliding, rhythmically intriguing guitar work that appeared on both Zyklon's previous releases is in full force. The quality of the recording is equivalent to that heard on "Aeon," meaning that the production is heavy and clear with lots of guitar chunk and thick, triggered drums a la your average death metal record. I personally prefer the production on "World Ov Worms" which was more in line with a black metal sound than death metal. This might have something to do with what has changed the most about Zyklon's sound over their three-album catalogue.

What does "Disintegrate" offer as far as progress and experimentation? There are plenty of guitar solos and mid-paced thrash sections that deserve mentioning. Perhaps neither are new to Zyklon, but both are better-written into the songs and feature more prominently than on prior recordings. The songs on "Disintegrate" seem to flow more freely than anything on "Aeon" and are certainly more interesting in their composition. The fleeting melody factors here and their on the album, and when accompanied by Odd Tony's throaty vocals--which, I must add, pale in comparison to Vidar's work on "World of Worms"--create energized moments that stand out.

In summary, if you enjoyed "Aeon" you'll certainly enjoy "Disintegrate". You'll immediately recognize Zyklon, and more brooding tracks such as "A Cold Grave" will make you feel right at home. If you're like me, however, and found yourself wishing that Zyklon hadn't strayed so far from their work on "World of Worms," you will have to take caution with this release. As I said, it sits somewhere between their previous two albums. I am certainly not disappointed with "Disintegrate," but when a band makes such a killer debut (I should really shut up about "World OV Worms," but I can't) it is hard not to compare everything to their finest hour.

If you liked the other two albums you'll like this one too. I find Zyklon's lyrical subject matter to be thought provoking. Full of disgust for humanity and its no wonder music like this doesnt get more popular it speaks of the truths in humanity or the lack there of humanity and people dont like the truth. Ignorance is bliss but then again i think that most people that listen to this music and others like it and comprehend it is amongst the few people who are truly sane in this world of trends and sheep.

Aside from being really easy to find in any well-alphabetized music collection, Norway's Zyklon are renowned for one other thing: they formed out of the ashes of a little band called Emperor. But unlike many bands of its kind, Zyklon clearly see no point in even trying to deny their past and roots. Frontmen Zamoth and Trym took a three year hiatus from the band to do some live shows with their old band, and they've even recruited former Emperor drummer Faust to write the lyrics for Zyklon's new album (and third full-length), "Disintegrate." Plus, even though their new band will never be fully out of the shadow of their old one, they have already built quite a name for themselves in the metal community.

"Disintegrate" is a ferocious, angry, unrelenting death metal album with black and thrash metal tinges, and a light dusting of industrial elements. (Think Emperor meets Morbid Angel meets Behemoth meets Slayer.) "Disintegrate" is definitely the album in Zyklon's discography that is influenced the least by industrial, but at the same time, it is also arguably the band's most experimental. The high, creepy, atonal screaming/shrieking vocals in "Subversive Faith," "A Cold Grave," "Wrenched" (which is also highlighted by machine gun riffs and a blazing solo) and especially the shockingly slow, spacey, and ambient set closer ("Skinned and Endangered") are an interesting twist, and add a freaky dissonance that reminds of some Kreator and Napalm Death material. Suffice it to say, I'll be darned if your skin doesn't crawl while listening to these songs. And am I just imagining things, or are those honest-to-god hardcore breakdowns (complete with textbook yells of "go!") in "Ways of the World" and "Vile Ritual"? (The former is also noteworthy for its excellent, 45-second-long, wailing solo, and almost shout-worthy, mosh pit-ready chorus.)

Is all this a bit too much for ya? Well don't worry too much, because the album still has plenty of stuff that will pull you right back down to earth. For example, what metalhead wouldn't enjoy sinking his teeth into such breakneck numbers as "Vulture," and the mosh-pit-ready opener, "In Hindsight"? These two should satisfy even the most stubborn blackened death metal purists, and are about as subtle as being clocked over the head with a block of cement. They are bursting with blistering, propulsive, buzzsaw riffing, Morbid Angel-inspired leads, commanding, forceful bellows, churning double bass drums, pummeling blast beats, and ripping solos that add a little melody to the arrangements. Elsewhere, the title track boasts a catchy, galloping rhythm, marching tempo, and hardcore-ish gang shout, and finally, track seven, "Underdog," doesn't really stand out very much, but it is still super brutal, and thus, definitely not worth skipping, either.

"Disintegrate" is Zyklon's best and most realized, accomplished, interesting, and well-rounded work to date. It is not a really mindblowing or groundbreaking album, but it is a slab of good, quality, very solid, and thoroughly listenable extreme metal. Definitely worth checking out for everybody with a more-than-passing interest in the genre.

If Aeon wasn't enough to let you know who was the creative force behind Emperor here's the absolute proof that Ihsaan was the man and Samoth, well..., wasn't. This cd is, to put it simply, boring. Yeah it's full of head crushing riffs and manic drumming courtesy of Trym but so what? Zyklon cover no new ground. They aren't doing anything they haven't done before except rely too often on death metal cliches we've heard regurgitated time and time again by a million other bands. By the third song it's very apparent that Zyklon have nothing left to say. They sound played out. Now a band doesn't have to be musically original to be good if they have that emotional kick, that shot to the back-brain, but Disintegrate just leaves me cold in a heard-it-all-before kind of way. I've been to that "room" many times before and you know what? It's gotten old. Get World Ov Worms instead and forget the rest.

Several years ago, at a time when the Zyklon lads were plastered all over the extreme metal magazines as the Next Big Thing, I purchased the then-new World ov Worms album. I'm certainly in the minority in that I was never all that interested in Emperor's output, yet the descriptions I read of Zyklon's sound appealed to me, so I bought the disc. To be quite honest, I was bored by it. Sure, there were some cool riffs here and there, but the production was such that the guitars were nowhere near as prominent as I'd expected. The drums were too repetitive for my tastes, and the vocals lacked that "special something" that I'd hoped for. The industrial elements were neat for about one listen. I realize that most death metal and black metal bands base their entire careers on very specific vocal, drumming and (sometimes) guitar styles, but somehow the black metal production sapped whatever power the songs might have held in my ears. The lyrical concepts were different from most in the genre, but who listens to this type of metal for lyrics when the vocals are often unintelligible? I put my World ov Worms CD back in the case, not to be listened to again for years, and didn't even bother with the second album, Aeon.

So why did I just write all that, and yet feel compelled to buy Disintegrate? Had I heard Aeon, I might have found out something that other, more dedicated Zyklon listeners already know from that release, which is that the production and overall sound is far more along the death metal route. The drumming is more varied, the vocals and guitar riffs more in-your-face, and the guitar solos a huge step up from World ov Worms. I'm sure that there are Emperor fans bemoaning this straying from the one true path, especially when there are numerous other bands playing this flavor of death metal, but from a musical perspective, it seems to me that the mix and direction here give the members of Zyklon an opportunity to shine as a band AND individually as musicians.

This isn't the most unique release by any means, but it is quite good. I bought Disintegrate the same day as Behemoth and Decapitated CDs, and it puts Zyklon on the same level as those bands as far as I'm concerned, which is something that World ov Worms never did.

the main topic is how damaging the human race is and the future generations have no hope because ov our stupidity. so we were better ov not being here at all. it is fast heavy and full of hate. my parents think it is just noise well who ask you?
DOWN WITH MYSPACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!