Edmonton extreme metallers Acantha have just
released their first full length cd, entitled ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.
The disc is a full on black/death experience marked by strong
songwriting and solid performances. The band is a solid one, the
vocals are distinct and well executed, and the band is razor sharp.
From the opening guitar riffs of “Eternal Punishment”, Ancantha are
determined to get your attention. And they do. “Blood Beast” is one
of the stand out tracks here, and the evil laugh in the middle is
both hilarious and creepy. It definitely gets your attention.
The production on the disc is not great, with the sound being very
mid-rangy, sounding too compressed. That does take away from the
experience. It’s too bad cuz the disc would have rated higher if the
top end and the bottom end were more audible.
Acantha is harsh, extreme, and talented. ETERNAL PUNISHMENT is a
good disc, and given time, the band should be able to establish
themselves.
-Metal Rules -- June 2009
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When one listens to an
album and is reminded of work done by another artist or artists, it
can be for any number of reasons; it could be influence, homage,
imitation, or downright plagiarism.
In this case I will be generous and say that it is imitation, as
ACANTHA contain too much of IRON MAIDEN and Bay Are Thrash,
particularly TESTAMENT, without adding enough that is unique for
this album to qualify as having been “influenced” by the
aforementioned bands.
That ACANTHA like IRON MAIDEN is obvious, as this is an early Thrash
sound mixed with a lot of twin guitar melodies. It also makes
frequent use of galloping bass rhythms that are reminiscent of Steve
Harris. Some tracks even called to mind specific songs, such as
“Born Of Fire,” an instrumental track that more than a little
resembles the classic “Losfer Words (Big 'Orra).”
This
album is proficient, but it is nothing special. It clearly suffers
from a lack of originality, and it is not performed expertly enough
to set it apart from other bands like EVILE, MUNICIPAL WASTE, and
TOXIC HOLOCAUST that are leading the retro-Thrash movement.
- The Metal Observer -- May 2009
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A little bit of Canadian content in the death metal world is never a bad thing, but it's a little bit strange to hear it come out of Edmonton instead of Quebec. Acantha's debut, Eternal Punishment, may not be the most forward-thinking death metal album to emerge from western Canada but it's still an interesting listen. With death metal influences stemming from across the board, listeners will pick up on anything from old Death riffage to plucky Atheist bass parts. Sadly, picking up on everything else is quite a challenge. It isn't fair to chide a new band for poor production but unfortunately the bad quality of the recording takes away from the powerful technical ability and overall brutality of the final product. Ignoring the difficult listening experience of the record, Acantha should hopefully build upon this solid base and be able to budget for a better display of their skill in the future. (Independent)
- Exclaim! -- February 2009
