Old Man's Child "Vermin" (Century Media)
By Eric Chon
Tuesday. Nov 08, 12:15 AM
Sublime onslaught: artistic and thrash-errific!

You have to forgive me for saying that I am not a huge fan of traditional black metal. I do like the occasional Darkthrone and Gorgoroth release, but the neo-black metal sounds of Dimmu Borgir are more my speed. That being said, it should be a no brainer that I fucking love Old Man’s Child, and Glader does not disappoint with Vermin.

Infusing thrash and melodic stylings into a grim and bleak sound, Vermin really delivers where it counts. It’s safe to say that Old Man’s Child is a one-man show: Galder plays almost the entire album and it’s a testament to his drive and ability that its sound is so richly varied and textured. His thrashy guitar work displays vibrancy and potency often missing from black metal and its derivatives. The usual drone of thousands of 16th notes and atonal noise is kept in check, allowing the song to stand out.

But ol’ baldy can’t take all the credit for this sublime aural onslaught. When you recruit Panzerchrist drummer Reno Killerich, the shit gets serious. Reno’s amazingly tight and fast drumming adds an edge to an already razor-sharp sound. It perfectly compliments the music, whether it’s a wall-of-sound or a quiet interlude filled with the band’s trademark synths.

Vermin is a powerful and crushing album filled with devastating riffs and frenzy-inducing rhythms. Old Man’s Child remain both heavy and melodic without sacrificing their black metal roots (or sounding anything like a Gothenburg band). Keep your necks well conditioned lest you break something when listening to Vermin!
www.oldmanschild.net
www.centurymedia.com

Eric Chon

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