SoulDaemon - Dead World

Wings of Death
Outro – The Breath of a New Day

Self-Released
2006

I firmly believe in “it’s not what you have, it’s what you do with it.” Italy’s SoulDaemon is a great example. Using only bass, drum machine, vocals, and effects, this one-man band has crafted a strange but cool EP in Dead World. Though the sound isn’t exactly black metal, the sensibility is, with raspy vocals and a bleak vibe.

It’s perhaps a bassist’s dream come true to play with no guitarists. SoulDaemon makes the most of this, running his bass through distortion, playing full power chords, and overdubbing lead lines (back in the day, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin did the same low/high thing with their two bassists). Some of the riffs are quite catchy, especially in the instrumental “The Breath of a New Day,” which reminds me of those sped-up “TV” interludes on Ministry albums.

At times, the playing is a little loose against the machine percussion. Overall, that’s not a problem, though, as this EP isn’t meant to be polished. It’s raw and has quite a unique air about it. Add in some nice artwork, and you have an enjoyable little EP. You can pick it up from SoulDaemon’s MySpace or directly through email.