Sinister

Afterburner (Candlelight)
by Tim Den

I heard Sinister‘s debut, Across the Styx, when it first came out in ’92… and laughed heartily. Even as death metal-obsessed as I was then, I knew crap when I heard it. The band sounded immature, unoriginal, and utterly forgettable. First rule of death metal: Be catchy AND brutal! Didn’t these guys know anything? Seeing them live opening for Cannibal Corpse only solidified my disinterest. This was death metal for amateurs.

So imagine my surprise when their reunion album, Afterburner, kicked me in the teeth. What the fuck, did Decapitated just put out another album? Or did Monstrosity make a sequel to their technical slaughterfest Millennium? Cuz Afterburner totally and completely obliterates! Blood-gushing blast beats, inventive riffs with plenty of weird pull-offs and note intervals, counter rhythmic grooves that shake the senses… Can this be the same band? Oh wait, that’s right, they’ve had a million member changes. Must be why this Sinister sounds nothing like the Sinister I knew 14 years ago. If breaking up and finding new people was what they had to do, then more bands should look into this method of reinvigoration. I kid you not, the muscle and brains on this album – coupled with a razor-sharp production – are tastier than a Satan shake. Take a drink and become addicted.
(www.candlelightrecordsusa.com)