Review by JD on May 23, 2009.

Norwegian Blackened Doom Metal mixed effortlessly with some real deal Death Metal... that is what we exactly have here. American based The Funeral Pyre are explained as heavy black shrouded metal with the overall ambiance of a funeral home just before a atomic bomb goes off... when they explode, seems like that atomic attack. Extreme, huh?

The Funeral Pyre comes at you from Los Angeles, and has been a breath of fresh air from the stagnancy of that scene. They are ethereal, dark and maximumly heavy. This is not in any way close to the glam metal LA has offered up in the past, or tries to do now... this is pure and malevolent metal at it's maximum output. Their EP is as extreme and fierce as any release that has came out this year... perhaps in the last few years.

"December" Ep has only five songs on it's shiny surface, but each ones are quality slabs of heavy and exceedingly mind numbing music that has the power to reach into the darkest corner of peoples souls, and finds that one horrible place that is better off hidden.... even from ones own self. They then begin to ravage what is left of your spirit from there, and their job is nearly done.

'Into The Soil' is a doomish hell spawned sound that plods your cranium until it cracks into several pieces, while 'Frail And Dying' is a Death Metal classic that torches your mind in one fell swoop. The Ep is exactly like that throughout... and leaves you wishing that this had been a full album instead. It is well assured, The Funeral Pyre will be a band to watch.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 7.5
Originality: 8
Overall: 8.5

Rating: 8.1 out of 10

Review by Felix on September 26, 2019.

The German translation of "Capricorn" is "Steinbock" and I do not really know why a Spanish band decided to use this as its name. Well, let's don't give a shit about this, we are just losing time. It is somehow a casual name, but what about the music? Well, it also does not lack nonchalance, yet I am undecided. Sometimes I think I am listening to truly sharp riffs, sometimes I complain that they do not accelerate speed. Steinbock perform an interesting mix of thrash-inspired riffs and traditional metal. They do not try to please the mainstream, even though they keep an eye on vigorous melodies. Instead, they show their weakness for rough edges and "male" sounds, if you know what I mean. This is not the album one likes to be the soundtrack for a rendezvous, but probably it can entertain you during a long car ride at night.

Let's concentrate on the minor flaws of the album. The long-drawn "o-ho-ho" choirs in "4 Vices" could originate from the standing room of an amateur club and the chorus of "Jump!" also suffers from the somehow nervous background choir. In addition, the semi-ballad "Keep it On" wants to be a new "Nothing Else Matters". That's not per se a bad thing but lead vocalist Camilo should not intend to sound like James Hetfield. Camilo has a pretty expressive voice and it is not necessary to head for a slavish imitation. Fortunately, even the semi-ballad is rather rocking than kitschy and therefore it does not hurt the joy of listening significantly. Nevertheless, the more stalwart tracks have a better reputation in my individual metal cosmos. The quality of the riffs is high, the rasping guitars form coherent songs and variety does not come off badly. There can be no doubt that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages on this album. I would even go a step further. The relatively individual style of the combo results in a fresh breeze and that's always a fine thing even though there has been no stench in the rooms of heavy metal before. Only the death metal lounge emanates a rotten smell, but this, you guessed it, has to be that way.

In view of the almost crystal-clear production, I do not have any complaints concerning the technical implementation of the eight compact and robust tracks. Hopefully the band is able to make itself free from some useless stereotypes, because the artwork is nothing new and the same applies for taciturn song titles such as "War" or "Beer". Moreover, the latter is almost a misleading name, because Steinbock do not deliver the noise for your next boozy orgy, but a maturely designed, excellent riffs featuring highlight. These dudes take their music seriously and therefore we are well advised to take them seriously, too. And that's not difficult as long as they keep this elegant yet powerful mix of melodic and aggressive elements. Not to mention their instinct for the right amounts of ideas per song. The tracks are neither overloaded nor too simple. Maybe some of you know the Slovenian Battle X, Till the Limit sounds a tad like their "Imminent Downfall". For those who do not know this formation, I have another point of reference, the black album of Metallica. This is a band most of you know, I'm sure...

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Felix on June 3, 2019.

Back in 1989, it was a great adventure to discover World Downfall. In a time when the initial thrash metal movement began to lose its power rapidly, it felt good to be confronted with another way of radical music - and, to be honest, it was more radical than almost every thrash formation. Suddenly and without warning, Terrorizer fired a massive shot into the hungry crowd of extreme metal maniacs. With a previously almost unknown intransigence, they ripped any type of harmonies to pieces. Even 30 years after its release, the album has a devastating effect and its only mistake is that it was simply too good. Immediately after its final tones had vanished, it was quite clear that this was a once-in-a-lifetime work. Too bad that Terrorizer broke the silence after 17 years. This was no good idea, but fortunately another story. So, let's concentrate on this masterpiece which was produced by Dave Vincent and engineered by the very competent Scott Burns. He had already been involved in great albums such as Death's "Leprosy", Whiplash's "Ticket to Mayhem" and Sepultura's "Schizophrenia" and Terrorizer profited from his experience.

World Downfall sounds coarse and vicious, rebellious and nasty. Its homogeneous appearance makes it strong. The decision to publish 16 songs that reflect the uttermost defiance against the usual parameters of the music business is one thing - to execute these pieces in such an excellent way is something different. Gifted with the technical skills, Terrorizer do not create chaotic tracks per se. They work with high precision - but exactly this precision in details opens the door to a sometimes confusing and more or less chaotic overall impression. Especially the A side is bewildering, because some songs seem to flow into each other while one merciless riff hunts the other. The slightly dull sound adds a dark color to the compositions, but the riffs themselves also spread sinister intentions. Needless to say, that Oscar Garcia also rages against everybody and everything. His f**ked up voice exactly matches the musical statements. The monolithic material meets a monolithic line-up and among other things this duplicity makes the album so exciting.

But the band has even more to offer. Each and every track burst out of the boxes with a maximum of spontaneity, energy and savagery. Indeed, there is a barbaric component in the music that teaches the listener the meaning of archaic cruelty, albeit Garcia's hostile growling deals with modern conflicts. "Nations falling to defeat" is not just the first line of the opener, these words also mark the beginning of the lyrics of "Strategic Warheads" and perhaps this lyrical curiosity shows the f**k-yourself-attitude of the line-up. Either way, Terrorizer know the rules of grindcore and spread left-wing dogmas. "The rich get rich, the poor stay poor, working hard, all for nothing" - these simple statements sound rather stupid, but they work excellently in the context of this album. The typhoon of negativity is irresistible, and the band lives up to its name. The instrumental parts leave a trail of devastation and it goes without saying that the barking of Garcia does not provide relief. Of course, very intelligent minds can blame the full-length for its monotony, but I beg to differ. The material scores with its genre-typical uniformity, this is my interpretation. 

The anarchic rigor of the album is the perfect breeding ground for immortal anthems. The maximally intensive triple strike of "Human Prey", "Corporation Pull-In" and "Strategic Warheads" marks the orgasmic climax of the album, but the remaining material ignites a conflagration as well. The mighty and malicious guitar work with its minimum of variation and the almost robotic yet devastating double bass create an infernal cocktail and songs like "After World Obliteration", "Need to Live" or the title track express the pure disgust about lying politicians, puppets of the military industry and society in general. No egomaniacal guitar solos disturb the denunciation of more or less each and every convention. The clearly structured eruptions of hatred appear as an unstoppable avalanche that buries everything beneath it. Pete Sandoval's drumming ensures - where necessary - that no one leaves alive. His blast beats, his force and his precision - in short: his entire performance is absolutely outstanding.

"Dead Shall Rise" is the title of another highlight on World Downfall, a song with a superhuman dynamic and a fiery core of destructive power. Was its name the impulse for Jesse Pintado (R.I.P.) to revitalize the band in 2005? It remains a matter of speculation. What we know for sure is that World Downfall cannot be beaten. Not by any configuration under the banner of Terrorizer, not by any other formation. It's a stand-alone document of its time, second to none and an awe-inspiring monument. Do yourself a favor and experience this album. The perfect combination of grindcore and death metal awaits you. 30 years old and not a bit tired: Congratulations!

Rating: 10 out of 10