Customer Reviews

Longing for Death

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Germany didn't boast quite as many death metal acts in 1992 as did some parts of the world, but the ones they did have were among the best. You had Blood and their brutal death/grind opus "Christbait" in 1992. The same year saw perhaps my favorite death metal release of the '90s also originating from Germany, Fleshcrawl's debut masterpiece "Descend Into The Absurd" (now a relative rarity). Rounding out the year in the country was Atrocity's "Longing For Death" (released in Europe as "Todessehnsucht").

Atrocity was the brainchild of masterful death metal producer Alex Krull, who had a knack for creating some of the most eerie intros and soundscapes in death metal (witness the classic chains/torture chamber opening and closing of Sinister's "Cross The Styx"). Indeed, he worked with some death metal greats, but his own band Atrocity were excellent in their own right at this time and "Longing For Death" remains their finest work.

Krull's production on this album is lethal! The drums especially have such a sharp, crisp tone to them that reminds me of Entombed's "Left Hand Path," and that's saying a lot! That's why no survivors are left in the wake of drummer Michael Schwarz's blasts on track number two "Godless Years."

The song that follows "Unspoken Names" I first heard on Roadrunner's 1993 "At Death's Door II" compilation. It was a great choice for a track, as it is five minutes and 25 seconds of death metal perfection and the best song on "Longing For Death." Every member of the band shines on this one. Krull has such an original vocal style on this track and throughout the album, always making pitch and tone variations to mix it up and keep things from getting boring.

The only reason I rate the album just shy of five stars is that its second half isn't quite as strong as the first, except for closer "Archangel," a reworking of a 1985 Death demo track. The band clearly set out to reproduce the sound of the original, down to Krull's mimicking Chuck Schuldiner's then-adolescent vocal approach. Great song, can't believe it never made it onto "Scream Bloody Gore."

All in all, a great death metal album with one of the best production jobs EVER.

German version or American, this is one powerful album. The force of Alex Krull's voice just compels you as you listen while the blood pumps thru your head and body. Its one of those non stop sets that gets you growlin' and playing air guitar. Very synchronized guitar/ drum interplay for guys who were very young at the time average age was 20 in the band, their most savage album of all. If your familiar with them you know they can change their stripes on a dime..But this is a classic death release, A big surprise for any death fan that has'nt heard this. Warning: This will disappear...

Lots of bands have one great album in 'em. ATROCITY is one of those bands. Like "Clandestine" by ENTOMBED, "Longing for Death" is the one album to own by this band. Atrocity definitely shot their wad on this one. It's one of the finest, most original, most powerful, and most intelligent Death Metal albums ever released. Should be in anybody's top-10 DM list. But please note: it sounds NOTHING like anything else by this band. After this Atrocity dropped every bit of originality and crushing power. I don't blame anybody for wanting to become "popular" and make money, but it makes me quite sad that a band must compromise its vision and integrity to do so. I despise everything Atrocity did after this one. But this one ... DAMN! It's one of the finest Metal albums you'll ever hear. Buy it now.

Okay, so I found Atrocity sifting thru bands on every metal head's favorite site, Encyclopaedia Metallum and I ordered their first two albums. This is their second and sadly last real metal album as they began experimenting with other genres and softening their sound to almost a non-metal production. In my review for their first album I labeled it "progressive" and this album follows suit and goes a step further, while still maintaining a death metal sound.

No real complaints other than if a band is going to change their "format" and thusly there sound, disband and retire the name so the band name could live on with some dignity (Metallica, anyone?).

Again, recommended if you like your death metal with a bit more of a progressive side to it, throwing in a helping of brutality for measure.