Praise the Flame - Manifest Rebellion (Re-issue).
Review by Trevor Proctor.
I regularly bang on about Chile’s contribution to the underground and with bands such as Pentagram, Unaussprechlichen Kulten, Hades Archer, Slaughtbbath and Oraculum coming from Chile there’s no doubting the high standard of music originating in the country - a standard matched by very few other countries. One Chilean band we need to be aware of is Santiago’s Praise the Flame.
Praise the Flame was formed in 2012 as a three piece with Necroterror performing bass, Druaghonik on drums and JJ performing guitar and vocals. The band is located in Santiago, Chile, and plays Death Metal with lyrical themes central to the Occult, Satanism and Anti-Christianity.
Praise the Flame’s debut release was the ‘Profane Cult MMXII Promo’ which was released independently on CD in a limited quantity of 200. This was followed in 2013 by the ‘Profane Cult’ EP which was released on CD and cassette by Santiago label Apocalyptic Productions in February – the impact generated by this release was significant enough for it to be re-issued on digipak CD by Metal Inquisition Records in September of the same year, along with a vinyl edition from Blood Harvest Records and digital versions from Apocalyptic Productions in the same month.
There was no further output from Praise the Flame until their three track contribution for a split they shared with Abrekadaver in 2015. The split was entitled ‘Hordes of the Fire Throne (Congregation from the Unholy Death)’ and featured two tracks from their soon to be released full length along with a cover of Sepultura’s ‘Show Me the Wrath’ which had previously appeared on the ‘Profane Cult’ EP.
By the time Praise the Flame released their debut album, ’Manifest Rebellion’ in September 2015 they had expanded their membership with the addition of B Skull on guitar and backing vocals. As with their previous releases ‘Manifest Rebellion’ brought Praise the Flame some well deserved attention. The album was mastered by Javier Felez at Moontower Studio, and initially released by Spanish label Memento Mori on CD but later received a cassette release via Penitenziagite Records in December 2016.
As testament to the quality of music featured on the album, ‘Manifest Rebellion’ is now set to receive a further re-issue – this time another cassette version from excellent Portuguese label Caverna Abismal Records, once again bringing this first rate Chilean band to our attention. This cassette version is due to be released in a limited quantity of 200 at the start of September.
A lot of Chilean bands have a primal and highly energetic rawness to their sound and this is also the case with Praise the Flame. ‘Thanatognomonic’ serves as an introduction to the album, taking just over two minutes to set the scene with some clean guitar work and a short growled vocal from JJ at its conclusion to mark the beginning of Praise the Flame's barbaric assault. ‘Fire Forces of Hate’ follows and immediately sets the pace for most of the album with its primitive and intense high tempo Death Metal. This is a track that doesn’t let up from start to finish and makes for a very strong start to the album, ensuring you sit up and take notice. ‘Manifest Rebellion’ follows and sees Praise the Flame adopting a slower approach at the beginning with riffs that would at times remind you of Incantation. However, this let up in pace is short lived as after close to two minutes Praise the Flame up the tempo again, letting rip as wave after wave of frenetic death rain down on us. Track five, ‘Sepulchral Haze’ is one of the thrashiest from the album with its extremely catchy riffs and break neck solos throughout before the tempo is dropped to an almost dirge-like pace midway, again, this drop in pace doesn’t last long but serves itself well in enhancing and punctuating the faster parts of the track.
All tracks during this album are nothing short of excellent with each having numerous high points, track four; ‘The Burial Urns of Grief’ is available to stream below to help illustrate just how strong Praise the Flame's music is.
The two guitarists combine very well together during ‘Manifest Rebellion’ with B. Nekroskull holding steady with riff after riff as solos from JJ spiral off in all roads and directions, partnered with exceptional and furiously paced drumming from Druaghonik who maintains the tempo throughout. It’s the previously mentioned changes in tempo that add significantly to the album and show Praise the Flame aren’t afraid to experiment a little to make for a more varied listen. ‘Manifest Rebellion’ is an excellent album and one that is delivered with passion and angst in equal measures - Praise the Flame have captured the essence of South American barbarity and play with conviction and passion that's capable of upholding the country’s high standard and reputation for lethal underground music.
An exceptional album that easily sits alongside some of the Chile’s finest musical exports. 9/10.
Tracklist:
01 - Thanatognomonic (Intro)
02 - Fire Forces of Hate
03 - Manifest Rebellion
04 - The Burial Urns of Grief
05 - Sepulchral Haze
06 - Endless Scourge
07 - Venomous Tyranny
08 - Rise the Witchpower
09 - Cryptic Sovereign Death.
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