This album, we’re told, Documents “the deep-rooted and rich Eastern history, depicted in sonorous depravation soaked in all its atmospheric glory”. Death metal is the medium for exploration.

Winds blow. Deep voices can be heard distantly in the mountains. The build-up is impressive. The dark voice comes to the fore. Just under 3 minutes in, the pace picks up and the echoing vocal has an air of psychedelia about it. The echo and deep vocal operate in tandem. The riff withers deliberately on the vine, but the rhythm is big enough to provide energy and reinforce a ferocious and mysterious atmosphere. That was the opening title song. It is followed by “Dragged Fears and Broken Bones”, which seems to carry on where “The Pacification of Death” left off. The instrumentals are purposeful and again mysterious, while deep growled vocals match the echoing cries of the clean counterpart. As a work of death metal, it’s good because it’s not just death metal for its own sake. Continuing with “Emanation of Decay”, Jade carve out an energetic path and drive the album forward heavily, inserting breaks and changes of pattern while retaining the consistency of the drum, the power of the riff and above all the energy. I began to like the echoing cries.

For the first time on “Emanation of Decay”, Jade find themselves on a pulsating roll. By contrast “Silk Ransoms” begins funereally. This one is dark and atmospheric and suits the band and the album well with its weighty rhythm and the customary death vocals. The voice echoing in the background adds flavour as the song pumps on, ending in imperious spookiness. “Ghastly Eyes” ups the energy, and has an element of “Hawkwind plays rousing metal”, which for the sake of avoiding doubt is a compliment. This was my favourite track. The final one, “The Saddest Night”, sets off with typical intent, like a hunter parading through the forest looking for their prey. Harsh at the core, it drives on relentlessly to bring this 40 minute journey to a close.

Some parts are more dynamic than others, I found, but this album is well constructed and follows a wending path in a clear musical direction. “The Pacification of Death” is more than just your average death metal album and has lots to commend it.

(8/10 Andrew Doherty)

https://www.facebook.com/jadestonemask

https://pulverised.bandcamp.com/album/the-pacification-of-death