Metal Mind Productions has been one of the record companies that have done a great job with re-releasing obscure and or out of print gems from the '80's and '90's, but the re-release of this 1989 debut, Gloomy Experiment, from Polish Thrash band Astharoth would have been better to have passed on this one and left it to be buried whereever they found it.
The Gloomy Experiment re-issue has 17 songs in total, including 8 bonus tracks and for me this is about 16 tracks too many! This record sounds like it was recorded in 1980 on a budget of about $500 and $250 of it went for beer. It just simply sounds horrible and the actual songs and playing on it don't help out their own cause. Thrash was known to have some great players, Astharoth are not among them. The drummer sounds like he learned how to play while in the studio and the 2 guitar players make feeble attempts to play riffs that are obviously out of their grasp. It is actually quite painful to listen to these guys hack up these so called Metal songs. The real problem here is that Astharoth are trying to be a Progressive Thrash band with intricate, technical playing, but are just physically unable to pull it off. And let us not leave out the bass player, who attempts to "show off" some of his best Cliff Burton styled "lead bass" on the intro to "Good Night My Dear". All I can say is ugh! Out of 17 less than inspired tracks I was only able to "deal" with their instrumental, "Amnesia". I think the lack of the horrific vocals was the high point of the song.
While I am not a fan of Astharoth's Gloomy Experiments re-issue, if you happen TO be you will no doubt love the 8 extra songs that come on this Metal Mind release. I find nothing positive out of this CD. It sounds completely outdated, with bad songs, bad musicianship and bad production. This misses the mark on all fronts. Buyer beware!
Track Listing
1. Gloomy Experiments
2. Speed of Light
3. Obsession
4. Tool of Crime
5. Amnesia
6. Mirror's World
7. Good Night My Dear
8. Insomnia
9. My Difference
10. Wisdom of the Blind
11. Misplaced Senses
12. Namless
13. Limits
14. Egos of Myself
15. Accused
16. Cycles of the Sphere
17. Denial
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