BLOODY SIGN ‘Vana Vigala Loits’
Ibex Moon(2004)
When it comes to bands that I like, I have chosen to consciously separate them into two different categories – the ones that are trying to present something new by bringing together all their different influences into their music, and the ones that are trying to leave their own mark within the limits of the style that they love and chose to serve. After listening to 'Vana Vigala Loits', the debut album of the French Death Metal outfit Bloody Sign, I’ve decided that the second option is the one that suits them the most.
I admit that I knew little of this band prior to receiving this promo, but there were a few 'obvious' reasons that made me quite happy to discover them, first being the fact that they are signed with Ibex Moon Records which is run by John McEntee of Incantation fame. Another good, but not so obvious reason, is the band’s origin. It is true that France has been anything but the Mecca of extreme Metal music, but no-one can deny that this European country was the breeding place for some really interesting bands such as Massacra, Aggressor and Archon Infaustus. Finally, one more good reason is the fact that this promo features a cover of 'Parricide' by Pestilence – one of my all time favourites.
Having all these things in mind, I gave 'Vana Vigala Loits' a go. The first thirty one introductory minutes to the band’s music were quite helpful in making me realise what Bloody Sign are all about, but not enough to help me reach a proper decision. After giving this album a few more spins I realised that the seven tracks (and the two and a half minute introduction) that are featured on this album, are quite capable of satisfying the majority of Death Metal fans. 'Vana Vigala Loits' is an old school Death Metal release with a few Thrash and Black Metal elements here and there.
The band has not only managed to create music based on the old Death Metal 'rules', but has also managed to present it with a proper old-school sound. Kalevi, the band’s guitarist, has managed to come up with some really inetersting parts which mix well together with the classic-sounding growls that Hagend (vocals) has prepared for us all. Some really good examples of this really succesful collaboration are 'Possessed By The Ancient Earth', 'Unleashing the Power of the Bloody Sign' and 'Vana Vigala Loits (part 2)'.
On the other hand, there are a few things that I found not so much to my liking and I feel that they are important enough to be mentioned. For starters, I was a bit dissapointed by the band’s decision to go for a thirty one minute release, especially since this is a debut album. Many of you will probably think: 'there’s nothing wrong with a thirty one minute album – I know others that are shorter than this one'. That’s true, though you should also take under consideration the following: one of the songs, the same-titled 'Vana Vigala Loits' is a two and a half minute introduction which features chanting by Setumaa women (a tribe that originates from Estonia). Also, from the remaining seven compositions, one is a cover and the other, 'Master of Nothing', is a song that was recorded live and does not have the most desirable sound that you’ve ever heard. That leaves us with five compositions to satisfy your hunger and curiosity.
Does that mean that I’m dissapointed with 'Vana Vigala Loits'? No, certainly not - I just think that the band could have done so much better. It is more than obvious that the members of Bloody Sign know exactly what they want to achieve with their band, and 'Vana Vigala Loits' is a step in the right direction. If you are an old-school Death Metal enthusiast, you must invest in this record – if not, you are still more than welcome to give it a go.
***½
Review by John Stefanis
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