FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…
On October 31, 2011, Krisiun released their eighth full-length studio album The Great Execution via Century Media Records.
Background:
Produced by Andy Classen, the album was made available as a digital download, CD and vinyl format, including a limited edition transparent red edition. A limited edition version of the album contains a re-recording of the track Black Force Domain. A music video for The Will To Potency was released on December 13, 2012. A music video for Blood of Lions was released on October 16, 2014.
Critical Reception:
A Metal Storm review stated; “From time to time albums come along such as The Great Execution to test the faith, or provoke reflection as to what you are actually looking for in your music. Judging from history it would be fair to assume that anyone slotting a Krisiun album into their playlist would be craving a healthy dose of straight-forward, mindless death metal blasting. For the three brother's lengthy history together in this band, Krisiun have only had one gear; fast. Now three years since the band's last album, Krisiun have developed another gear; mid-pace.
The Great Execution is still very much a Krisiun album. It contains all the hallmarks their catalogue of blast-fest albums boast, but on this album it is all spread out and somewhat diluted on a surprisingly long album that stretches over an hour in length. Indeed, Krisiun have subtly changed. By no means is this another Cryptopsy or Morbid Angel affair, but these subtleties may be just a little off-putting if you came here hoping for another Southern Storm.
While Conquerors Of Armageddon may be a suitable choice if you feel the need to murder someone, The Great Execution provides an alternative option for a less intense listen, but equally satisfying in a more controlled and reserved way. The Great Execution is a great release if you like to sit down and appreciate your death metal with a glass of wine - but at the end of the day, the unavoidable fact is that this album just does not hit the violent, primitive spot that Krisiun's past albums have - and for that reason just instinctively feels not right.
Krisiun have noticeably upped their game in the technical department. While half of this album may be at a mid-pace in an attempt to add a new dimension, the other half is still most certainly the frantic blast-affair we have come to expect and crave from this band. There is no arguing with tracks like The Extremist, and title track The Great Execution is actually a fantastic example of the use of both gears too. Again there's another snag though; as soon as you hit the play button on this album, the comparatively light-sounding production while clean, just sounds unnatural and out of place.
The Great Execution is a sign of the three brothers wanting to become more than just a quick blast of a one-night-stand; they want to become the real thing - the complete package. The Great Execution is a good album with some jaw-dropping moments, but the reoccurring impression is that it feels just too watered down a little too often. Barring a few overly drawn-out moments however, Krisiun have delivered the goods again."
In his review, AllMusic’s Eduardo Rivadavia wrote; “With 2008's superlative Death/Thrash beat down, Southern Storm, Krisiun answered most of the critics who questioned their career-spanning stylistic staying-of-the-course with a resounding, irresistibly powerful proof-of-concept; but three years thence change is surprisingly finally afoot within the Brazilian Death Metal veterans' eighth studio album, The Great Execution. According to the group, more ‘traditional' Heavy Metal influences were brought to bear on the new material (i.e. Sabbath, Priest & Maiden, rather than the usual Slayer, Kreator and Sodom), along with a strict, 100% analog recording regimen intended to keep sibling band members Alex Camargo (vocals/bass), Moyses Kolesne (guitars) and Max Kolesne (drums) honest throughout this supposed break with long-immutable ingredients. No need to panic, though: at the end of the day Krisiun's experimental mindset hardly produced a radical departure from their hyper-technical Death/Thrash comfort zone, just a focus on developing song ideas more deliberately over slower tempos. So while blistering guitar solos and quasi-blast-beat rhythms are never too far off, they tend to serve as brief and distinct passages here -- not the be all, end all -- of token tracks like Blood of Lions, Descending Abomination and Shadows of Betrayal. Also worthy of note: the standout title cut boasts unusual melodic lyricism in its opening sequence; the ambitious Sword of Orion and Shadows of Betrayal respectively pack acoustic guitar flourishes and a true -- gulp! --chorus amid their epic frameworks; and the album's lone breakneck entry, Extinção em Massa, of course contains rare Portuguese lyrics, perhaps in tribute to legendary countrymen Vulcano. All told, these qualities produce a fine album that may not sit well with all the Krisiun fans that stood by the band's resistance to change over the years, but will hopefully draw new fans to their cause with its broader ambitions.”
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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