PRESS
DIVIZION S-187 "V Miloserdii otkazano"
http://www.kronosmortus.hu
This band with a bit militant name comes from Russia which has a lively Underground movement, and can actually be considered as a side project of ASHEN LIGHT, a Black Metal band, with 4 stuffs behind their backs. This release of theirs can be seen as a sort of split material since at the end of the record there are two ASHEN LIGHT songs, namely two cover songs (THE 69 EYES: Gothic Girl, NIGHTWISH: Sleeping Sun), and this step was taken most probably due to economical reasons though that’s also a fact that the CD’s playing time, together with the ASHEN LIGHT stuff, is just 37 minutes… Anyway, there’s also a video clip (quite simple) featured here. I’ve already mentioned the adjective, militant, well, since I do not know anything about their message due to the lyrics written in Russian thus I can only suppose the music has such overtone too that’s usual with this kind of bands. It’s a sort of extreme Metal of good production based on mechanic drums (which is a bit strange since in the video there is a live drummer) that reminds me of Norwegian MYSTICUM’s full-length to mention a more well-known stuff for comparison. The first half of the record consisting of 4 tracks is alright, these aren’t any groundbreaking ideas but it’s okay what we get.
After that there are three bonus tracks of which the first one is presumably an electronic version of an older tune (though I cannot confirm this 100%) with the active participation of a certain Dj. Sadist. Anyway, this track isn’t bad, despite the musical elements used it has an atmosphere, it’s an interesting composition and no techno at all. Fortunately. This is followed by the title track performed in the same spirit that also turned out quite listenable. The seventh song is a live track that sounds fairly good, I do not know whether there has been any additional work o that in a studio but it’s quite professional. There are guitars, vocals, and the whole song has a bit of cosmic touch to it. Concerning the ASHEN LIGHT cover tracks, I cannot tell you too much since I do not know THE 69 EYES. But, they perform this track, Gothic Girl in their own way even if it sounds lighter than their own tracks. And I also do not really know the original of NIGHTISH’s song but as far as I know it was not based on BMish vocals so fans of that band would surely be surprised at this. This way, I cannot really understand this part of the release but it’s their business... Nevertheless, it’s undoubtedly a colourful stuff though I wouldn’t have included here the last two tracks. This results in a 7.
http://kronosmortus.hu/node/19195
DIVIZION S-187 "V Miloserdii Otkazano"
http://www.metal-observer.com
Talk about fearing the worst. When the thumping space-race music pulses in at the beginning of this album I was already about to shout “Next!” But when you get to the age where your mind starts to slow, you find patience is enforced and thus the get-the-fuck-outta-here is stymied before it starts. DIVIZION S-187 redeem themselves in short order, it's not long before the rounded introduction is lopped by some abrasive chop that harshens the hearing ready for an altogether more extreme experience, the synthesizers remain present but having been beaten about the head by the guitar, they serve in the background for the most part. Whilst much of “V Miloserdii Otkazano” has “Industrial” stamped on it, there is also a strong astral aspect to the sound that has it nudging towards LIMBONIC ART, in fact the two influences often scorpion dance around each other like binary stars. The album soon develops a driving stomp, which sometimes gains momentum towards a headlong rush but more usually slows to drop a guillotine of guitar with angled blade shearing in precise fashion with only the merest hint of rust to the edge. Elsewhere the guitar picks out a bleak motif as stark single notes pierce the dark, the light bending with the pitch and providing a desolate counterpoint to the rich swathe of synth. The guitar may prevail but when its back is turned the impudence of the keyboards comes to the fore so that there are sections where they dominate with varying degrees of the pumping and the cosmic, they resolutely avoid the descriptive “Symphonic” though, shying away from classical histrionics and maintaining a purity that means that when they run with equal measure to the guitar, the energy is plasmatic. You've probably already deduced that the drums pummel in hypnotic fashion, they have an Electro feel and though they are presumably programmed, still sound well matched to the more forceful Black Metal charging when it's in the ascendant and thankfully avoid anything too Techno. The bass warbles fully, it's thick and rounded and as such further adds to the spacey atmosphere. Vocals continue with the clarity, they are snarled but discernible, subtle effects again draw them out into the cold beyond, where they seem to quiver slightly on the cosmic wind. The whole is highly engaging, it's hard not to be taken for the ride, there's certainly plenty to see on the way and DIVIZION S-187 will keep you involved. The album also comprises bonus tracks and a couple of ASHEN LIGHT tracks, (one of this lot's many other ventures.) Two of the tracks are completely Electro but keep within context and so don't seem out of place, there's a live track that works exceptionally well and figures them as a definite in the flesh prospect. The two ASHEN LIGHT tracks don't really do them justice, they are a cracking band but these two songs seem distinctly lightweight compared to their normal blazing/rabble rousing. The core songs on this album have much to recommend them, they have spectacle and movement and should tickle astro-nuts everywhere.
http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=16851