The Arcane Order - In The Wake of Collisions

Appearances can be deceiving and one glance at the band’s website and their press photos might lead one to think that The Arcane Order is one of many bands out there fusing Death-Metal with Hardcore elements. And sincerely the prospect of listening to another Death-core group wasn’t very exciting at all since my tolerance levels for this type of music is full to the brim.
Until the play button is pressed and leading track “Death Is Eminent” bludgeons from the speakers and completely blows way all my preconceived stereotypes. Beyond all the clean looks and elaborated imagery lurks a sound so ugly, so vicious and brutal that will shatter your world completely. Imagine the surgical precision of Suffocation, the dark atmospheric leanings of Strapping Young Lad, the raw brutality of Behemoth and the technical prowess of Death all masterfully combined in six plus minutes. I immediately knew that I was in presence of something really good! The musicianship is exemplar and above reproach, which might come as a no surprise considering that Denmark’s The Arcane Order is led by former Autumn Leaves guitarist Flemming C. Lund and features in their ranks some prominent names of the Danish scene like Raunchy’s vocalist Kasper Thomsen, former Autumn Leaves bassist Boris Tandrup, guitarist Kasper Kirkegaard from Submission and Koldborn drummer Mortem Løwe Sørensen.
“In The Wake Of Collisions” is in fact The Arcane Order’s second release, following the well received debut "The Machinery of Oblivion", which apparently was nominated as best debut album at the Danish Metal Awards in 2006. Its successor will surely consolidate The Arcane Order position even further as one of the most challenging and interesting bands around ‘cause throughout these nine tracks the quintet churns out a complex and precise blend of technical Death-Metal, hyper-fast Grindcore and Symphonic Black Metal that simply demands attention. (7/10)

Band info: www.thearcaneorder.net
Label info: www.metalblade.de