IMMORTAL CRINGE - Undying Fear

Released some time in 2001 (Demolition)

Review previously unreleased

Sooee! Is this ever a stuck pig of an album folks. The question is, where does one begin to describe this mess?

Well, let's start at the "vocals" which are of the talking variety, but are so over-the-top and unprofessional that it sounds like a bad Nasty Ronnie (of Nasty Savage fame) imitation. They simply destroy any chance of enjoying the music.

Ah, yes, the music. Thrash metal rarely has sounded so lifeless, even though Immortal Cringe steal liberally from Slayer ("Intro" is a combination of the opening salvos from both "Hell Awaits" and "Reign In Blood" (the songs)) and Nailbomb (the main riff from "Drunken Guy" is a direct ripoff of "Wasting Away"). The stop/start riffing lacks depth, power and any degree of credibility, leaving the listener giggling at the lack of originality. However, instrumentation skills cannot be faulted, especially on the acoustic instrumentals (no vocals!) which are technically proficient and whimsical.

In the final analysis, Immortal Cringe can't pull off being a thrash band; the fingers are willing, but the heart isn't. Cringe indeed.

(3)

Update: Man, was I ever hard on these guys. So call me surprised when I revisited the album some nineteen years later with fresh ears and found that it isn't that bad after all. Yes, there is a derivative feel in places and the vocals certainly aren't of the highest caliber, but the production is rudimentary, but just fine for the time, and the overall aggression levels are persistent, as would be expected from the genre. In retrospect, it seems that my distaste for technical/prog thrash colored the review. It still ain't my cup of tea, but it isn't as bad as I made it out to be. My bad. (6)