Band:	Decrepit Spectre
Album:	Coal Black Hearses
Style:	Avantgarde black metal
Release date:	December 28, 2008
A review by:	Jeff

01. Coal Black Hearses
02. Stranded Angels
03. Graverider

Composed of two ex-members of Seth (the Black Metal band from France), Decrepit Spectre is the new project of Heimoth and Cyriex. Now accompanied by Kvohst and Aort, they finally release their first EP, "Coal Black Hearses". This is a good beginning obviously, original with good ideas and of course good music, though with only 3 songs this is not so easy to give the final ultimate statement about the band. I will try to let you know how the music of the band is and if we can have some good hopes with them?

If you like avant-gardist Black Metal and Pagan music, I'm quite sure that you'll find something for you in the three songs which compose "Coal Black Hearses". The music of Decrepit Spectre is original on a side because their Black Metal is really fresh and open-minded actually. You'll find some Progressive Death touches, Pagan ones, and avant-gardist Black in the release. The choruses are clearly "Viking" in the spirit but the voices are truly Black too? A song like Graverider reminds me Opeth with however a bigger Black orientation (more than Death if you see what I mean) and always with some melodies and choruses which are Pagan music. The final result is nice because Decrepit Spectre has its own personality and of course it's always good to listen to a band which can do a real cross-over between different music without being pompous or something. "Coal Black Hearses" works, this is not especially astonishing but it works and the music if good. I believe that the first album of the combo will be good.

The production is also good and the four members are solid musicians obviously. The spectral voice of Kvhost is cool too, and the whole package of the EP is professional and proves that the band wants to do something in the Metal scene. I'm sure that they will do it because the quality is here, sure all is not perfect (especially in the compositions, as I said the songs are good but not absolutely fabulous too) but the potential is here.

I will keep an eye on this band in the future. The quality of the 3 songs featured on this first EP leads me to the conclusion that we should have good surprises with Decrepit Spectre in the future. Thye have the potential to do good things and their first release is promising so? After all Seth was a really good band, I don't see why this new one couldn't do it too!