For those of you tired of the usual pathologic and/or satanic death metal, perhaps you ought to check out Discern's "Revive and Rebuke". The album lyrically revolves around the love of god, false preachers and religious stupidity.

Still here? Why not - it is, after all, possible to make really intense death metal music about, let's say, unconventional subject matter. That's exactly what Discern's sole musician, Bill Fraser, has done. After his previous band, Oblation, broke up in 1995, he decided to take matters in his own hand and do the whole thing himself.

So we find Bill playing drums and guitar (and probably bass) as adroitly as you'd want, with producer Andrew Albert throwing in the odd guitar solo. Bill also handles sub-sonic grunting vocals well.

"Revive and Rebuke" clocks at just over 20 minutes - 20 interesting minutes, 8 songs. There's a short acoustic song entitled "Jasper", but other than that it's, well, a death metal assault no 'conventional lyrics' death metal band would have to be ashamed for. None of the songs fall into obscurity, and my personal favourite is "No Condemnation". The intro to that song, sorry Bill, sounds sickeningly evil :-) The short Kiss teaser in "Outro" also raised a nicely surprised eyebrow.

Discern's "Revive and Rebuke" CD is only US$ 10 post paid. Send well concealed cash, check, or money orer payable to Bill Fraser to the following address:

RK

Written June 1999

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