The Meads Of Asphodel
Sonderkommando

March 2013
Released: 2013, Candlelight Records
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Metal-Rules.com UK Team

It was a visit to Auswitch Birkenau in Nov 2011 started the beginning of ‘Meads of Asphodel’ With some prose recorded on site, all the lyrics were written in only three days .



Metatron states;

“Auschwitz [especially Birkenau] is a cold, eerie place where death laughs and the world spins blindly past.

I couldn't even begin to imagine the suffering of the children here, unless I went to the very place that was without a doubt, Hell on Earth. I Forgot about Jews and Nazi's for a moment, and just looked upon pure hatred, and human beings slaughtered for sadistic self gratification under the veil of a flawed ideology.”



The album was produced by, JD Tait, which followed-up to 2010’s ‘The Death Of Jesus The Jew’.

With the departure of original drummer, Urakbarameel it wasn’t long until Norwegian drummer, André Kjelbergvik Thung was welcomed adding ruthless dynamics to their sound.



Opening with a strange intro, sounding like Nazi German dictatorship the track goes into an errie sound with slow drums and Guitaring showing why this band calls themselves ‘Experimental Metal’. With some many different twists and turns I could hear influences of Pink Floyd before the clean, but dramatic vocals of ‘Metatron’ kicked in.

The lyrics are dark and this is one album that got my attention immediately and starts off beautifully with the track ‘You don't have to die to walk in Hell’ before the album takes a furious twist, with the instruments exploding into action and the aggressive death metal vocals kick in, making me feel…this is more like it!!!

A very interesting and different start in this 12minute long track!



There are many different influences here, but mainly focusing on Blackened Death, with beautiful melodies and some really surprising twists in this album. This is certainly an album that needs to be heard, it’s so unique with each track showing something different with a powerful energy and feel throughout!



With so much going on it’s so surprise there were many guests on this incredible album, including:

Mirai [Sigh] on keyboards, Roibeard O Bogail, [Mael Mordha] Whistle, Oristalla [Diversis] vocals, Mories [Gnaw their Tongues], Rob ‘The Baron’ Miller [Amebix] Vital Abramovitch ‘guitar [Gods Tower], Harry [son of Metatron] narration.



The narrative parts on album was recorded at Auschwitz Death Camp 2011.

The cover art was specially commissioned and painted by Aisha Al-Sadie.

The track 'Last Train to Eden' was Himmler's vision to create a Germanic agricultural Utopia in Silesia, hence the titles two sided meaning. As the Holocaust spawned both abhorrence to the tragic stories of the victims and sympathies relating to its perpetrators. This album touches on both.



Personally my favourite track was ‘Sonderkommando’ as it held so much diversity and states a journey into the abyss of man’s inhumanity. It is a glimpse into this world of total brutality born from the age old irrational implementation of murder on racial grounds.



There are also many other tracks that stand out, with great lyrics, ideas and great musicianship!



If you love your Death metal, but fancy something different and dark then this album is for you, I personally absolutely loved it!



Review by Jo Blackened