Iscariota
Cosmic Paradox
Defense Records
Facts. Cosmic Paradox was previously released only on cassette tape by Baron Records in 1995. 2020 brought a CD version of this debut album to which Defense Records added songs from their very hard to get demo Gladgad from 1993 (intro of this demo is not included on the CD). These 2 sarcophaguses of Polish metal are finally available for a quick purchase, not long time ago it was not even easy to hear both materials on social media, such as youtube. So, it might be kind of relief for fans of Iscariota who had no access to early music of the band.
Quality recording of album and demo are just good, although Cosmic Paradox has a bad mixes of drums. Sound of these releases is surely not perfect by any meanings, but good enough to enjoy the music itself.
Cosmic Paradox is an audio material consisting of death/thrash songs, played with technical edge. It`s mainly aggressive thrash mixed with death metal, which is hugely inspired by Human album of Florida band Death when comes to guitar work in many parts of their songs or, there is one or two tracks that captured this vibe almost entirely. Iscariota did not blow it out in terms of repeating ideas of DEATH, they just followed the path, patterns from that classic album to which they put together their own ideas. Cosmic Paradox sounds like the band who really wanted to write their best songs to date. There is intensity, dynamics, and determination in song writing, but also kind of anxious and chaotic death metal vocals as well. For most of time, songs take a better shape when band combines aggressive, brutal and melodic riffs together, and by having many changes to the music structures, their songs captured metal roughness and sort of musical maturity when comes to performance of those songs.
Except song Lilith with Polish lyrics, there is no track on this album that reminds Iscariota`s music as it is now, on their last 3 albums. I think that in the 90`s Iscariota wanted to accomplish a better song writing along with a few other bands in Poland at the time (Sceptic, Violent Dirge, Pascal, Catharsis, Schismatic), and for technical metal fans such as myself, some of their releases are quite important. I consider Cosmic Paradox a semi-important death/thrash metal record that basically has good and better songs, where guitarists highlight the music by playing complex and aggressive riffs, and very good guitar solos. Sometimes they just play superbly energetic thrash metal where you can hear echoes of Exodus, Testament in their music. Death and thrash metal riffs usually comes in phases in songs of Iscariota.
Cosmic Paradox is musically a good material, I just think that the album should be re-recorded, to show off full potential of those songs.
My favourite track of Gladgad demo is the song Ostatnia Wieczerza - music here has a slow instrumental build up, then vocals kicks in, and to the end of the demo , band plays methodical thrash/death metal from Silesia that I already used to appreciate... Arguably, this demo has a better sound quality than Cosmic Paradox.
Quality recording of album and demo are just good, although Cosmic Paradox has a bad mixes of drums. Sound of these releases is surely not perfect by any meanings, but good enough to enjoy the music itself.
Cosmic Paradox is an audio material consisting of death/thrash songs, played with technical edge. It`s mainly aggressive thrash mixed with death metal, which is hugely inspired by Human album of Florida band Death when comes to guitar work in many parts of their songs or, there is one or two tracks that captured this vibe almost entirely. Iscariota did not blow it out in terms of repeating ideas of DEATH, they just followed the path, patterns from that classic album to which they put together their own ideas. Cosmic Paradox sounds like the band who really wanted to write their best songs to date. There is intensity, dynamics, and determination in song writing, but also kind of anxious and chaotic death metal vocals as well. For most of time, songs take a better shape when band combines aggressive, brutal and melodic riffs together, and by having many changes to the music structures, their songs captured metal roughness and sort of musical maturity when comes to performance of those songs.
Except song Lilith with Polish lyrics, there is no track on this album that reminds Iscariota`s music as it is now, on their last 3 albums. I think that in the 90`s Iscariota wanted to accomplish a better song writing along with a few other bands in Poland at the time (Sceptic, Violent Dirge, Pascal, Catharsis, Schismatic), and for technical metal fans such as myself, some of their releases are quite important. I consider Cosmic Paradox a semi-important death/thrash metal record that basically has good and better songs, where guitarists highlight the music by playing complex and aggressive riffs, and very good guitar solos. Sometimes they just play superbly energetic thrash metal where you can hear echoes of Exodus, Testament in their music. Death and thrash metal riffs usually comes in phases in songs of Iscariota.
Cosmic Paradox is musically a good material, I just think that the album should be re-recorded, to show off full potential of those songs.
My favourite track of Gladgad demo is the song Ostatnia Wieczerza - music here has a slow instrumental build up, then vocals kicks in, and to the end of the demo , band plays methodical thrash/death metal from Silesia that I already used to appreciate... Arguably, this demo has a better sound quality than Cosmic Paradox.
Tracklist:
1 Shadow Zone
2 The Last (Lord's) Supper
3 Cosmic Paradox
4 Protector
5 Night Sailors
6 Just Like You
7 Lilith
8 One Day
Bonus Tracks - "Glodgad" Demo'93
9 Ostatnia Wieczerza
10 Protector
11 Nieustająca Wojna
12 Wewnątrz
13 Tak Jak Ty
1 Shadow Zone
2 The Last (Lord's) Supper
3 Cosmic Paradox
4 Protector
5 Night Sailors
6 Just Like You
7 Lilith
8 One Day
Bonus Tracks - "Glodgad" Demo'93
9 Ostatnia Wieczerza
10 Protector
11 Nieustająca Wojna
12 Wewnątrz
13 Tak Jak Ty
Review by Slawek Migacz
Added: 05.02.2021
Added: 05.02.2021
Order at:
Defense Records bandcamp/Iscariota
Defense Records bandcamp/Iscariota
