Weapon (Can) - From the Devil's Tomb

Full Length, Ajna/Agonia

November Ist, 2010

2010 has been quite a spectacular year for metal so far, albeit it had a pretty quiet start. But it was just a hideous deception. Just like the calm before a ravaging storm!
During early November, I was scrounging forums and other internet sources for some of the best releases, the underground has seen this year and came across the latest Weapon album. For a moment, I was in a state of daze and the first words which came out of my mouth were - HOLY COW! A NEW WEAPON ALBUM! Whilst I was blown away by the new releases of Bloody Sign, Kerasphorus and Grave Miasma, a new offering by Weapon seemed far more enticing than those ones and I had to immediately pounce upon it. My love for this Canadian horde dates back to a recent time when I discovered their EP called as ''Para Bhakti...Salvation'' while digging up some Canadian congregations. That 2 track feature was astoundingly rapturous and I became an instant fan of their abominable executions.

Weapon's history dates back to 2003 when the mysterious Vetis Monarch formed the unholy ensemble to loathe divinity and build an empire of darkness and occult. The band was originally rooted in Calgary but now they are based in Edmonton. An interesting story is that their demo and the first 7'' were recorded in Bangladesh. The EP ''Violated Hejab'' also had Kapalyq from the relatively unknown (But incredible) Bangladeshi band Barzakh (Now Orator) on bass. As intriguing as it sounds, Weapon were nowhere behind weaving an aural web of destructive symphonies with their inceptive releases. The next release ''Para Bhakti... Salvation'', which had introduced me to this band, was the perfect advancement of the band's sound. You could sense the careful craftsmanship in the way these impious artisans drafted their desirable ritual ceremonies. What intrigued me more were the lyrical themes the band had employed. They focus towards satanism but also towards the occult and mysticism. Tracks like ''Archana'' and ''Para Bhakti...Salvation'' are staunch examples of the band's lyrical prowess where they have profoundly incorporated sanskrit verses to depict their faith towards devil worship.

Just a year after ''Para Bhakti'' had ruptured the Canadian/Worldwide underground, Weapon were ready with their first full length album which was entitled as ''Drakonian Paradigm''. This album was released by the Ajna Offensive which was a change from their previous label Full Moon Productions. Actually, they have had 3 different record labels for their first 3 releases but now they hopefully seem stable with Ajna who also released their 2nd full length feature. Drakonian Paradigm clearly unleashed the band's maturity as extremely skillfull musicians, who were profoundly adept in carving a niche in the Canadian bestial black/death legion.
The album featured 7 tracks, which ran through 40 minutes. This was a tad different in terms of production and this change must have been initated to support the more dense atmosphere the songs possess.
Tons of cryptic melodic leads and usage of nefarious chants on certain songs was clearly a top notch move by Weapon. It was an effort to make the sound more darkened and occult than the previous rituals and they nearly succeeded in achieveing this goal.

Now, just a year later, Weapon were ready with yet another full length. Yeah, quite a roll for them as there were 3 releases in subsequent years. I was extremely ecstatic about hearing the album and had my popcorns and nachos ready to await for one hell of a deathly ride. The moment when the first track ''From the Devil's Tomb'' emanated from the speakers, I started popping in the corns in my mouth in a trance like state and had to choke as a subsequent result. I hadn't even got a chance to revive fully, when I was shook with the riff frenzies and blastorocity the song offered next. The eloquent rhythmic carnage continued in such a suave manner that I lost myself completely into the beauty of this sonic frenzy. The elegantly nefarious tremolo picked riff orgies and leads had left me spellbound and I was ready to face the rest of this mayhem. 

The immediate ritual, named as ''Vested in Surplice and Violet Stole'' was increasingly emphatic with its stupendous riff laden destruction. I couldn't believe the amount of eargasmic ecstacy, these two opening tracks had already provided me but the next track made me ejaculate! Furor Divinus was its name and had a splendid chorus where Vetis apparently praised the name of Shiva, (as far as I could decipher) the lord of destruction. The amount of profoundity the album already possessed, left me overjoyed and zealous about the complete venture. Vortex 11724 continued the trademark melodic execution as employed in Bested in Surplice and Violet Stole and the beautiful acoustic interlude ''Left Hand Path Yoga'' acted as a soothing balm amidst the entire fury. 

''The Inner Wolf'' began in a war like demeanor with its opening riff and background chants. The entire track was a captivating combination of abrupt quick paced blast rhythms and mid paced sections. And I only had one word in my mind after each passing song - wow! But the album's grandeur had no boundaries and I got this feeling immediately after the next song ''Sardonyx'' began with an elegant Tabla intro. Those opening riffs blended absolutely majestically with the short yet powerful intro and then the commotion broke through. Riffs, riffs and more riffs - there seemed no end to those and there were still 2 more songs left! 

Trishul was the second last song on the album and it was followed by the concluding track - ''Towards the Uncreated''. Seconds after the song was unleashed to my auditory senses, I got a faint idea that this might be the best on the whole album! 

If I had addressed Weapon as skillfull artisans in my statements above, I had done nothing wrong because this last track exemplifies it by every means possible. They could not have have a better and more hypnotic end to an already spectacular album as it consisted some of the best moments, congregated together as one final ceremonial execution. 

Talk about satisfaction and ''From the Devils Tomb'' would provide you ample of it. Its the musical equivalent of a perfect sexual experience which would give you some of the best orgasms your ears could ever get. 

Enter the Weapon's horde NOW!

http://www.weaponchakra.com/

http://www.myspace.com/theweaponchakra