Review by Krys on September 2, 2019.

It's one thing to call your band Slow, but on top of that to play funeral doom can quickly turn into a mockery, unless you take the base of your idea and make it greater than the sum of its parts, and this Belgian duo crushes the feelings of depression and hopelessness under the captivating and emotional new record, "Dantalion".  

There are tons of bands that play so called funeral doom but this one really is 'hit the snare and go make a coffee before next beat' kind of slow. Holy mother of all things losing the pulse and just about to die, "Dantalion" will suffocate you under its weight and end your misery while digging your grave with a smile. Right up front, I must admit that doom is something I don't listen too often since in a long run, slow tempos lose my interest and force my mind to move on to other things but this... this is so captivating and alluring that it grips my attention and makes me anticipate the next note even-though the wait from which it travels from the record to my speakers is excruciating. I mean, listen to 17 minutes 'Lueur' and when you think shit can't get any slower 'Géhenne' will crush you like a mammoth's feces falling on an insect from the height of a four-story building. But "Dantalion" is a lot more than just slow tempos, the emotional and elaborate soundscapes with beautifully haunting melodies build multilayered euphonic surroundings immersing dejected minds into the depths of empty subconscious. Skillful use of layered keyboards, orchestrations or just plain piano or guitar squeeze every last drop of your feelings until they burst in uncontrollable and distraught, frantic manner. 

One more element that has to be emphasized is the vocal performance of Déhà. The growls are unreal; deep, guttural and inhumanly prolonged, they erupt with menacing force for over 60 minutes of this opus. Last track, 16 minutes instrumental, 'Elégie' spares his vocal cords while the ship sinks to the deepest and darkest depths closing the one of the most triumphant chapters of the funeral doom metal. 

"Dantalion" is not only the slowest but also one of the best records of the year with massive and profound atmosphere, demonstrating Slow's mastery of the genre with perfect merge of might with heart-wrenching melodies. 

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Adam on May 22, 2002.

All the Soilwork fans who have felt alienated with their latest efforts will definitely find solitude in the new Terror2000! This disc has enough intensity and aggression to tide over anyone thirsting for more speed in their metal. However, those looking for a mix of melody to seep in through the assault will have to look elsewhere since this CD is even harsher than their debut.

A little has changed within the Terror2000 camp since we last heard of them. They have a new drummer by the name of Erik Thyselius, who just obliterates his drumkit. The band have gone for a more raw and straight-forward approach on “Faster Disaster” as well. The band likes to use the term "retro" to describe the new material and I am not one to disagree. Some of this stuff sounds right out of the 80s. The biggest indication of this nod to the old school are the horridly cheesy lyrics. This inevitably lowers the originality score a tad bit more than on their debut, but if there is one thing that shines through more than anything with these guys it would be their undeniable musical talent.

Terror2000 have enlisted some of the talents of other well known metal friends to play on this release. Peter Wichers from Soilwork, Christofer Malmstrom from Darkane, and Mattias from The Defaced all contribute some awesome guitar solos. It really sounds like everyone really had a fun time making this CD, which makes the listening process that much more enjoyable.

If you were a fan of the last album, then you will probably like this one as well since not very much has changed. A lot of it sounds a bit more old school and retro than the debut, but it still has a bit of a modern feel to it as well. Again, if you love thrash metal, then I would highly recommend that you buy this CD when it comes out in stores. It may not be that original, but it seriously kicks ass, and that is definitely the most important thing to consider when purchasing a metal record.

Bottom Line: If you like well played thrash metal, then this will make a nice addition to your metal collection!

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 8
Originality: 2
Overall: 8

Rating: 7 out of 10