Reverend Bizarre: “Crush The Insects” CD
Their second full-length album has strangely seemed like a long coming. But perhaps that can be explained by the wave of singles, EPs and re-releases in the intervening years. By the same token, at least three songs contained within will already be familiar amongst the diehards even if they have not yet caught the band on the stage. Therefore, the fundamental question must surely be if these renditions surpass early forms. Anyway, the anthemic “Doom Over The World” opens the festivities on an infectious high coming only a close second to the mighty “Cromwell”, as the latter easily ranks as one of their strongest compositions. Period! Mores the pity that “The Devil Rides Out” briefly dampens the mood with its flat and lifeless form. Then again, the nod to “Electric Funeral” towards it close is always met with a knowing smile. The thirteen-minute excerpt, if you like, of “Slave Of Satan” slithers forward at a menacing snail’s pace and this heralds a shift away from the earlier groove to the bleak dirge. The remaining four compositions predominately assume that same crawling guise, with measured bursts of speed, like those that were executed with such grace on their debut. In this respect, “Eternal Forest” is beautifully understated, right down to the gentle solo courtesy of Albert, whereas “Council Of Ten” is riddled with biting malice. Consequently, excluding some minor imperfections, “Crush The Insects” is an unforgiving slab of Doom Metal and Reverend Bizarre remains a colossal force.