PANTOKRATOR „“A Decade Of Thoughts 1996 – 2006””

Music: Progressive Death Metal
Website: http://www.pantokrator.com
Country: Sweden
Cool songs: Come Let Us Flee, Lamentation, Separated By Night, Tidevary

Formed in 1996, PANTOKRATOR (Greek for Lord Almighty), is another Scandinavian Christian metal proposition, in one of its most extreme form, i.e. death metal. Being on the scene for nearly twelve years, the band recorded two full-length albums, some demos and EPs and two best of compilations. ‘A Decade of Thoughts’ consists of material gathered from the years 1996-2006.

Long, heavy, harsh and dull, but at the same tie extremely energetic, with a progressive and acoustic elements. Actually it is not clear, which style do PANTOKRATOR represent, as they shift between them quite often. Thus the material is not coherent nor comprehensible, but on the other hand provides the very special thing, which is essential for metal – power, aggression and vertigo. But those fourteen compositions are just too much, for an average fan, as they are of low sound quality. The instruments’ volume is unstable, the drums drown the others, therefore the incomprehensible pulp is created. Good intentions… everyone knows where do they lay.

‘A Decade of Thoughts’ is a very complex album, with a hat full of ideas, which just wait to be pulled out of it. And they are quite good, but the performance leaves much to be desired, therefore, the music looses much of its character.

note: 5.5/10

Tracklist

1. Punish the Evil (re-recorded version)
2. Unclean Plants
3. Come Let Us Flee
4. Bundsfoervant
5. Leviathan
6. Lamentation
7. Nebuchadnezzar
8. Gudablodets Kraft
9. Separated By Night (re-recorded version)
10. Via Dolorosa
11. Tidevarv
12. Cut into Pieces
13. White Robes
14. Psalm 29

Total playing time 66:41

Line-up

Karl Walfridsson – vocals
Mattias Johansson – guitar
Jonas Wallinder – bass
Rickard Gustafsson – drums
Jonathan Jansson – guitars, background vocals