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Review: Liers in Wait - Spiritually Uncontrolled Art
Liers in Wait
Spiritually Uncontrolled Art

Label: Blackened Records
Year released: 1992
Duration: 17:03
Tracks: 5
Genre: Death Metal

Rating:
3/5


Review online: March 13, 2007
Reviewed by: Lars Christiansen
Readers' Rating
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Rated 3.53/5 (70.59%) (17 Votes)
Review

Sounding somewhat like a contender for the next Dimmu Borgir album title, Spiritually Uncontrolled Art was the one and only release from overhyped Swedes Liers in Wait. Forming in the fallout after Grotesque disbanded, the band had a revolving line-up which read like a 'whos who' of Swedish melo-death, at times featuring members of At the Gates and Therion amongst others. However, Liers in Wait was mostly notable for being Kristian Wahlin's main musical vehicle at the time (this being the same Kristian Wahlin whose artwork graces many a classic album cover from Dissection, Bathory to Emperor under his pseudonym of Necrolord).

However, the music produced never quite reached the sum of the bands parts, although being proficient enough, it never quite manages to engage the listener as intended. The speedy death metal on offer here is interspersed with occasional synth work, blistering leads and an ominous unwholesome atmosphere, reminding of early At the Gates, 'Legion' era Deicide and the melodic edge of 'Clandestine' era Entombed in some of the lead guitar that layers the thick meaty riffing. However, it doesn't manage to meet the same high standards of any of the aforementioned bands, in part thanks to the generally mediocre quality of the riffs, but also due to the muddy production sound which makes the drum kit sound like its covered by a massive damp duvet cover. It's a bit of a letdown, as the first two tracks in particular are pretty damn good, 'Bleeding Shrines of Stone' in particular, sounding every bit the classic death metal track, but come the mid-way point of the EP, the insipid guitar arrangements slip into overdrive stamping a big 'average' brand over the CD.

Although a hell of a lot of my friends crow to me about how amazing this EP is, in my opinion, Liers in Wait were nothing more than an average band who never managed to capture the fierce intensity of Grotesque after forming from their ashes. The flames had well and truly died, and this release only serves as evidence.

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