Dark Ring
Reborn from the Inferno

A while ago I reviewed Screaming Savior which is a chinese band now I review Dark Ring which is another chinese band, both released by Metal Hell Records. Is that an indication that the chinese are not only trying to take over the world with child labour and cheap and somewhat bad production of things, but also aims to take over the black metal genre. I wonder if they use child labour in the studio, or maybe just underpays their employees like Apple. At least these guys know how to spell, they have duller cover art than countrymen of Screaming Savior. This is their debut album, the band was apparently formed last year and are now returning from the inferno with this album.

I wonder if the Nintendo Entertainment System is the latest thing in China considering that both this band and Screaming Savior seems to work on those things. The organ stuff sounds a lot like old video game themes like Castlevania and Final Fantasy, they also use many atypical things for the black metal genre like piano and other classical instruments. Although I think that it is in essence a rather typical black metal album, albeit there are some stuff that is a bit power metal and a bit folk metal. It is quite varied but also quite incoherent. I think many songs completely lack cohesiveness and seems to be only strange, it does not make sense. The album feels like it lacks in coherency, it does not fit together these pieces.

This album has many good sides, I really enjoy the organ stuff and the keys. I also enjoy what sounds as familiar video game theme music. I don’t enjoy the vocalist, the vocals are not good just screamy croaky and irritating. The vocals is one letdown, another one is the incoherency that makes this album a very inconsistent one. I like many things about it, and I dislike many things about it. To me it is not a good album.

I think it is fun with bands from unusual places, like China or anything like that. It would have been more fun if the album was good, but it isn’t. They do have a lot going for them but they never realise that potential in this album, which is unfortunate. They could have made something great had they made a more harmonious album, but this lacks that harmony and despite many benefits it is still a quite drab album. It makes no real sense.

Sure I may be wrong considering the many positive reviews of this album I found when researching, so if you are into nintendo black metal I think you might find this enjoyable even if I don’t.

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