DEATHSTORM - Reaping What Is Left (Deep Purple Vinyl, Insert) (Sealed) (LP)

Neither the past nor the future ever mattered that much for the deathrashing 4-piece that is DEATHSTORM, something that hasn’t changed since to bands beginning in 2010. “Since the past already has been discussed and the future is up to what you (yeah YOU, reading these lines) make of it, it is the present that is the most interesting and only relevant. The present in this case is called >>Reaping What Is Left<<,” as drummer Manuel calls it. As with their previous records, the band again managed to take its logical next step, always keeping in mind what the main intention was from the beginning on. “While the writing and especially the recording was not all guns and roses, the process of making the record was immensely gut-wrenching and thereby highly rewarding. We have never learned that much in such a short period of time,” is what bassist and vocalist Marco says after being asked about how the recording sessions turned out. “After always having problems with engineers and/or people mixing the previous records, <> was produced with a highly professional bunch of people and thereby managed to even surpass the earliest expectations and goals set on how the final outcome should sound like,” according to what the band says. “Tom Zwanzger who is running a high-end studio here in Graz was the man behind the knobs and it was almost as if we’d been to Sound City Studios,” states lead-guitarist Ferdinand with a smirk on his face. With the possibilities given, the band put together the best of both worlds by using analogue equipment on the drum-tracks while all guitar tracks and vocals where done digitally. Manuel mentions, “That’s what we always wanted, to get those warm and punchy drums full of energy much like on the first three Slayer major label releases.” With the mix Olof (Wikstrand) delivered and the master from Temple Of Disharmony they definitely managed to achieve that. “Especially when coming from an area where good recording possibilities and especially good music is something very rare, it was such a mesmerizing feeling to hear the end result and what we came up with,” according to the words of guitarist Markus. So after some major improvements in the recording department, what else changed compared to former outputs “As Death Awakes” and “Blood Beneath The Crypts”? “For <> we chose to move from the similar looking cover-art of the first two records to something new by adding in cover artist Velio Josto. The new approach was set to be more lightish and to feature a, at least to us, totally fresh color-scheme,” says Marco. The intention was to get something classic and usual in an unusual way, which Velio totally nailed. Generally speaking we are so proud of what we have achieved with <>, both visually as well as musically, that we definitely can call this the first TOTAL Deathstorm record.