Profanal - "Supreme Fire" (Iron Tyrant, 2016)

Band: Profanal
Album: Supreme Fire
Genre: Death metal
Year: 2016
Time: 35 min
Rating: 87/100












Welcome back Profanal on the putrid pages of Timpani allo Spiedo! In fact, they appeared, if I am not mistaken, on the fifth or sixth number of this ‘zine with their second demo (“Rotten Bodies”, 2010) plus the interview (in the early days, the interviews were mandatory, also because I hosted only 5-7 bands per number). A bit as for the Sicilians Bunker 66, also Profanal (from Livorno, Tuscany) are now a recognizable band until releasing two albums from their foundation (2005). The last album is titled “Supreme Fire” and it will be released on 31th October 2016 by the small Tuscanian label Iron Tyrant, that released the first full-length of Profanal 4 years ago yet. Good for Profanal, they recorded “Supreme Fire” with the same line-up of “Rotten Bodies”, and this because this band is stable since 2006, a very rare thing for an underground extreme metal band.

Then, “Supreme Fire”, containing 9 tracks, is an album totally devoted to the dear old-school Swedish death metal in the vein of Grave, Entombed and the likes with the classic buzzsaw-sound of the guitars. Into this work, there is everything that reminds to the classic Swedish-style also because there is the unmissable acoustic track, the gloomy and melancholic “Across Death’s Path”. Alas, also if Profanal looks to prefer the pure brutality as perfectly exemplified by merciless songs like “A Call for Revenge”, they are very able to spew forth dynamic and complex episodes. An example of this comes from “Despise Mankind”, that ranges from furious blast-beats assaults to ultra-pachydermal doom metal slowdowns through thrashy headbanging moments including also a guitar solo (not particularly important for the band). And, to top it all, there are also very muscular crust punk influences like in the conclusive “Considered as Gods”, increasing a lot, in this way, the fury of these 5 guys.

The performances of the single musicians are very good. Specifically, Rosy is an incredible female-death metal singer with her very depths and expressive growls. But I must mention also the fantastic interaction between the two guitarist while only good words also for the rhythmic section, with a very unstoppable but dynamic drummer.

Hence, “Supreme Fire”, strong especially of songs like “Despise Mankind” and “Close the Coffin”, is an album for every true old-school death metal fan! Its only relative flaw come from the ultra-paranoid and doomish conclusion (now it is truly unmissable for every extreme metal production, for my displeasure…) of “Considered as Gods”, despite the first part of the song is very furious like few others. But who cares of that and now enjoy this album ‘till the end of the world!

Tracklist:

1 – Eternal Curse of Blood

2 – Despise Mankind 3 – A Call for Revenge
4 – Close the Coffin
5 – Thanatophobia
6 – Across Death’s Path
7 – Oracle of the Supreme
8 – Burn the Altar
9 – Considered as Gods

Line-up:

Rosy – vocals
Burchi – guitars
Kristian – guitars
Daniele – bass
Nicco – drums

BandCamp: http://profanal.bandcamp.com/
FaceBook: http://profanal.bandcamp.com/
Iron Tyrant: http://www.irontyrant.net/