Opening with a sample from "Hellraiser IV", Centuarian immediately blast forth into a finely crafted song that sounds like something Deicide could've recorded. Rising from the still smoking ashes of Inquisitor, this bunch are all about churning out crazed hateful death metal with some sadistic blackened overtones. Ever dreamt of having a band capable of bridging the gap between Florida and Norway? Here you got Centurian. They have all the right qualities for the job.
While Inquisitor was a decent retro-thrash exercise with the vocals being the only weak point, Centurian have secured the inhuman growls of Seth Van de Loo to pulverize their critics. With a tight and infectious sound, they cover a lot of ground with this 8 track release. While also paying a tribute to Morbid Angel by covering their old chestnut "Blasphemy", Centurian have gone way past the point of simply being another nostalgic band like Infestdead. Overall, Of Purest Fire can be classified as a smart cross between Deicide's debut, early Morbid Angel and the way the ultra-brutal bands like Immortal blast their way through your speakers.
"Damnation for the Holy", an old Inquisitor song, is reworked to become pure perfection here. Fine guitar work combined with lightning fast drumming make this song a real treat for all metal connoisseurs. Truly, this year has become a definite time for the death metal comeback with the established bands not letting us down, and the great newcomers paving their way to the throne of unholiness.
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