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Debut album for the experienced French musicians after the miniCD of a couple of years ago. Not much has changed from that time, as the band keep on dealing with a sort of brutal death metal, rooted on a fast and skillful drumwork (as shown in "Obscene Messiah"), massive riffs, sometimes more groovy than the rest (same song), abrupt time changes, high and low vocals.

The problems reside in the songwriting, still a bit scarce for such long-time musicians, and the sounds, sometimes not up to the situation (for instance the horrible tom-toms in "Beyond the Myth"). The strength is, yet it needs to be channelled better; it's dead easy to be fast and aggressive, you need to be involving, and that's something that lots of new death metal bands still ain't learned.

There're good solos actually (listen to "Cathedral of Flesh" for example), and that does increase my disappointment for what might've been a far better record if the Transalpines had taken more time in the songwriting process. You can even find a black metal riff in "Scent of a Burning Angel", which makes me think Act of Gods are going through an uninspired period, but besides this, this song is one of the best arranged of the batch, and should be almost wholly followed as a positive pattern for the future.

Notwithstanding all I said, if you're fans of the band, know that you also need to buy the vynil version, which includes a track more, "Sorcery", about which I can't tell you anything of course. As for me, I'll wait for new material and I'll see if that's only a false move or if the 4 are in a sheer crisis.

MARKUS GANZHERRLICH - 12/6/04

	Act of Gods 'Stench of Centuries' (Osmose productions) MARK: 65/100



	Debut album for the experienced French musicians after the miniCD of a couple of years ago. Not much has changed from that time, as the band keep on dealing with a sort of brutal death metal, rooted on a fast and skillful drumwork (as shown in "Obscene Messiah"), massive riffs, sometimes more groovy than the rest (same song), abrupt time changes, high and low vocals. The problems reside in the songwriting, still a bit scarce for such long-time musicians, and the sounds, sometimes not up to the situation (for instance the horrible tom-toms in "Beyond the Myth"). The strength is, yet it needs to be channelled better; it's dead easy to be fast and aggressive, you need to be involving, and that's something that lots of new death metal bands still ain't learned. There're good solos actually (listen to "Cathedral of Flesh" for example), and that does increase my disappointment for what might've been a far better record if the Transalpines had taken more time in the songwriting process. You can even find a black metal riff in "Scent of a Burning Angel", which makes me think Act of Gods are going through an uninspired period, but besides this, this song is one of the best arranged of the batch, and should be almost wholly followed as a positive pattern for the future. Notwithstanding all I said, if you're fans of the band, know that you also need to buy the vynil version, which includes a track more, "Sorcery", about which I can't tell you anything of course. As for me, I'll wait for new material and I'll see if that's only a false move or if the 4 are in a sheer crisis. MARKUS GANZHERRLICH - 12/6/04