Death Requisite returns with a symphonic metal masterpiece incorporating elements from many metal genres into complex arrangements that are experienced as much as they are heard.
“The first requisite for immortality is death”, said Stanislaw Lec, who provided the inspiration for the Florida band’s name. Going back to 1999, Death Requisite brought together five teens with a love for metal and heavy music. Before long, the band was opening for national acts and signed to a recording contract for their first several albums, Living Sanctuary and From Death to Life, only to have life issues intervene around 2005, forcing the band into hiatus. In 2010, the band was able to return from their hiatus, release two projects, Prophets of Doom and Second Death as well as share the stage with the likes of bands from Norma Jean to Terrorizer to Vital Remains.
Sometimes a single song is enough to sell an entire album and with Death Requisite being a new band for me, I had no idea what I going to hear, but the opening track “Revisitation” had me hooked less than a minute into the song. The opening keyboard set the tone that this was likely going to be a symphonic metal album, but the guitar riff that immediately joined in was a bit unexpected and within the first 10 seconds, the rest of band and vocals had come in amid a literal explosion of sound. Vocals for the most part on the album are deep death growls joined at times by some near shrieking backing vocals that add some depth to the mix. From blast beats to ultra-fast double bass, the drums provide the right backing with the bass. When you add in some guitar solos and guitar elements more common in black metal, you can see the complexity of sound the band pulls off. Transitions between elements are seamless and the maturity in the song crafting is evident as the twists and turn though unexpected at times, all work together.
A pleasant surprise on the album is how different the songs are. “Vivens Sanctuarium” starts out with a fast almost groove riff driven by the drums and bass but then for some of the verse sections, the keyboards come to forefront only to retreat back in support of the guitars and driving rhythms created by some fast double bass drum work. Meanwhile, “Veneration” is much heavier dependent on the guitars and blast beats and “Nova Creatione” opens with a more ethereal keyboard and guitar over a complex drum line before the rest of band and full sound come in. That full sound really helps convey the power in the music. The bass and drums provide that pummeling backdrop accented nicely by the keyboards while the guitars are free to add to the onslaught or to provide yet another layer of sound on top of everything else. “Redemption Per Deicide” and “Ineluctable Castigation” continue the sonic journey laid out in the previous songs and if anything have sections that seem to be leaning a bit toward the heavier, more extreme side of metal balanced by quieter sections. To me at least, the final track, the 17-plus minute long “Recapitulation” being all symphonic keyboards and choral vocals was the only real miss on the album. From an overall sound, the track works and fits, but does seem a bit out of place (guessing I wanted more metal!).
Death Requisite have crafted an album filled with symphonic metal that incorporates elements of death, thrash, and even some groove metal within the songs, and often within a single song. I couldn’t help but think of bands like Antestor and Grave Declaration as comparators, putting Death Requisite in good company. Combine the complex arrangements with great production and strong performances and what you are left with is a great metal album.
Rating: 9/10
Written by John Jackson
Tracklist
1. Revisitation
2. Vivens Sanctuarium
3. Veneration
4. Nova Creatione
5. Redemptio Per Deicide
6. Ineluctable Castigation
7. Recapitulation
Band Members
Dave Requisite – Guitar
Sir William Lee – Drums
Vincent Saint James – Vocals
Joseph ov Moria – Guitar
Regnal The Just – Bass
Record Label: Rottweiler Records, Nov. 2016
Weblinks: Bandcamp / Facebook / Twitter
Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission
Video below: ‘Revisitation’