Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Dead Alone Nemesis Company: Supreme Chaos Release: 2014 Genre: Death, black Reviewer: Greg Watson

Impresses and depresses

Munich unleashes Dead Alone on the world, a blackened death quartet responsible for "Nemesis", the band's latest offering. After one listen through "Nemesis", I have to say that I am glad I stumbled upon this band.

Featuring a mix of melodeath ala Amon Amarth and a healthy injection of classic black metal in the vein of Emperor and Darkthrone, Dead Alone meld the two styles together into a seamless union of doomy and darkened death metal. Opening track "Nemesis" gets off to a roaring start delivering classic death metal riffs and staccato drumming and very guttural vocals with a few melodic flourishes. "Eclipse" (I wonder if it's a nod to Emperor's "In The Nightside Eclipse"), follows as the first taste of black metal on the album. Epically haunting and dark, this track really appeals to the black metal fan in me with the classic church bell intro and the atmospheric quality of the music. If you sit and listen to this in a dark room with your eyes closed, you’ll be transported to swirling fjord in Norway. The vocals on this track also seem to be inspired by Emperor as well, given the resemblance to Ihsahn's delivery and cadence. As the album progresses through tracks, it becomes clear the band's love for death metal yet equally wanting to keep things dark and atmospheric with a black metal tinge. Tracks like "Of Ash & Flesh", "Wreckage" and "As Worlds Collide" (an appropriate title) offer a blend of the two styles that impresses and depresses the listener all at once.

This album is a very eclectic listen that keeps you twisting and turning through many soundscapes as the album gradually pulls you in.