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Band: Streams Of Blood
Album title: Ultimate Destination MMXVII
Release date: 12 May 2017
Label: Blasphemy Halls
Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. Road To Ruin
03. Temple Of Blood
04. I Have The Might
05. Bringer Of Light
06. Inner Tyrant
07. Beast Reflect
08. The Master
09. Von der Realität In Das Ewige Licht
10. New World Order 2012
The muddy misanthropic German act Streams Of Blood, released their third full-length album Ultimate Destination MMXVII. Actually this is not a new album, but the re-release of their in 2013 released album Ultimate Destination, it's only put into the new clothes. The band was formed by Thymos and Tavor in 2009. Antilife was the band's first collaboration with drummer Torturer, who is also part of the band Mor Dagor. In 2010 Blood Hammer took control behind the drums and in 2011 the first full-length The Descent To The Source Of Disorder is released. In February 2013 the first version of Ultimate Destination saw the world’s light. Both, in the first version and in this current, the fidelity to the second wave of black metal crowned by legends continues proud and strong. The band also released earlier this year a new album entitled Allgegenwärtig, on which they stay true to their musical ideals, but are growing in taking them a step further: fusing musical abysses of raging-brutal, epic blast hymns with sometimes trance-like, often grooving atmosphere orgies of shattering riffs and cold-hearted, distant vocals. But here's not the talk about this one, even if the response to it gave them motivation to continue and show to the darkened world a new version of their Ultimate Destination.
In fact, since their formation this characteristic never changed and it seems that old school fans appreciate what this band is doing. This new version of Ultimate Destination was remixed and remastered, which provided a cleaner version in terms of noises and in a way more powerful sound, yet I expected the sound to be very similar to the one on before mentioned new album Allgegenwärtig, but it's not, I find it better, a bit more direct, deep, brutal, crude and raw. But then again, in the first version of this same album many sounds were muffled and took away all the brilliance of guitars and the drums. I compared the two versions of Ultimate Destination, and you must agree that I can't do a review of such re-release without knowing how it sounds the first version, it would be a complete nonsense.
Performing a short painting before expressing my opinion on the tracks of the current album, I would like to say that on this new version the guitars are brilliant but what makes this album special is the drummers performance, in one word, superb. The intro is a good dark and gloomy ambient music, but very short, only 1:52 minutes. Although it is a good arrangement to perpetuate the next tunes, unfortunately it's cut abruptly and without any instrumental connection. Simply cut and glued in the following track, which also seems to have been cut at the starting point. "Road To Ruin" didn't convince me, I found it lifeless and powerless, I liked more the first version, I think it’s because is more polluted with noises. The end of this track was a fresh air that makes me wonder if finally, I would be surprised. "Temple Of Blood" the third track, yes, this is what I call quality black metal, the one that comes from ancestral times, times of Burzum, Mayhem, Immortal and Darkthrone.
From the fourth track until the end the ferocity of Streams Of Blood' sound kept myself tuned and overall it was a nice listening experience. Ultimate Destination MMXVII is pure misanthropic insanity with a brutal frenzy between vocals, guitars and the excellent drums. This clear version doesn’t mock and it's pure hate with no artifices, no mercy or redemption. I highly recommend the new version. The band proves that while maintaining its style it is ready to perform much cleaner tunes in terms of ambient noises. Songs that will draw a lot of attention for quality are "I Have The Might", "Bringer Of Light" and "Inner Tyrant". I bet on the future works of Streams Of Blood, the mosters of the old school and I look forward to it.
Review written by: Felin Frost
Rating: 7,5/10
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