23rd February 2022

Review: “Sermonize” by Burn Down Eden

It’s been a whirlwind of a past nine months for Berlin Germany based Blackened Melodic Death Metal quintet Burn Down Eden who have gone from releasing their self titled third album to inking a deal in blood with Seek & Strike Records, the label home of Upon A Burning Body, Orbit Culture and Exist Immortal to name but a few and releasing a career second EP in “Sermonize“. Engineered, recorded, mixed and mastered by William Wienke at Armageddon Audio Studios in Germany in the summer of 2021 and adorned by cover at from Alvaro Valverde, it looks as though their seven year reign of terror is long set to continue…

A classical acoustic introduction of flamenco guitar work might be the last thing you’d expect but that piece of heavenly bliss is quickly shattered by a blood thirsty roar and rampaging blast beats as Burn Down Eden attack your senses from every direction with technical riffs delivered at breakneck speed, creating a ferocious black cloud of swirling darkness that engulfs everything, choking off the air supply. Vocalist Pether Winterschmied sounds like a man possessed by a wrathful demon as he alternates between a kind of dry throated raspy vocal and a brutal death growl brining flavours of At The Gates to proceedings but with a far darker edge. There is no room for the Scandinavian meloncholic undertones in this attack which goes straight for the throat from the very start. That being said it is from the riffs that a sense of melody eminates, particularly in the vibrant leads of “Obey Or Die” as it glistens like gold in the dim light of an under ground cave against a backdrop of unrelenting full throttle kit work and blood curdling vocals. There is also a sense that the band are the kind that in both the rehearsal room and the live arena push themselves to play as fast as they can without getting detailed and there is the feeling that you need to hold on to your hat for this one as it sweeps through the parade like a hurricane. The face melting extended solo of “Face the Void” is absolutely stunning, a sublime moment that stands out like a full moon on the darkest of winter nights, just one of many intricacies that it’s impossible for the human brain to take in in one sitting without a hemorrhage, giving this one a fantastic amount of longevity and even the cut that the band consider a bonus track in “Deus Vult” is a piece of brilliance. If you’ve not heard of Burn Down Eden before then “Sermonize” is the kind of release that will make you a fan for decades to come [9/10]

Track listing