Venus Star: Setyphorus

Setyphorus is the second full release from Venus Star, a Finnish Black Metal band that I can only describe as heavy, slow, and dull. Because this was my first encounter with Venus Star, I didn't know exactly what to expect from them. After listening to Setyphorus, I can only conclude that they didn't capture my attention, let alone my praise. I actually listened to Setyphorus a few times so I could test whether my negative first impression was wrong; perhaps there were hidden textures or musical depths I missed. Nope. Even though the album is extremely heavy, there is nothing here to distinguish Venus Star from similar bands. The music moves along at a predictable pace from beginning to end, making the tracks blend together. Worse still, the vocals don't help mix things up. The result is a slow-going, uninteresting album. I wanted to enjoy the opening track "Blessed Abomination," but after the cool sound-effects laden opening and the singer's declaration of "I am Typhon," I found it hard to stay interested.

The main problem is that the tracks aren't distinguished by any particular hook, melody, or sound. Obviously, Death metal often eschews melodic lines and highlights instead a dark mood and tone. This should not preclude, however, interesting songwriting that explores the possibilities of low tones and growling vocals. Venus Star doesn't do any of that. This is particularly true of the drumming on this album. Even though most heavy metal songs are in some variation of 4/4 time, the drums on Setyphorus relentlessly pound away on quarter and sixteenth-note beats with little to no variety. This album, like the drumming, ticks away the time, consistently asking listeners to count no higher than four, never aspiring to anything higher.

Track Listing:
1. Blessed Abomination
2. On the Headless Cross
3. The Abyss Opens
4. Babalon Forest
5. The Vesica Tempest
6. Mother Bâst
7. Speech of the Desert God
8. On the Path of Return
9. Nuclear Witch
10. Bloodbird

Added: March 3rd 2012
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Label Website
Hits: 2152
Language: english

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