(Proclamation performing at the Nuclear War Now! Festival in Germany)
Spain’s Proclamation are a true power trio from hell. I discovered the band through their association with the mighty Teitanblood and promptly purchased all three of their full length releases, Advent of the Black Omen, Messiah of Darkness and Impurity, and Execration of Cruel Bestiality. Who knew Spain was such a hotbed for sick, evil fucked up straight to hell metal?
Basically, this shit (to my ears) sounds like real hardcore punk (i.e. not the pig vomit sold at Hot Topic) gone totally Satanic, smoked-out death metal, the fucking pitch-black nexus where the Misfits’ Earth A.D.(arguably the bible for crusty, unhinged speed metal) collides violently with VON’s Satanic Blood to create one frenzied, psychotic bloodbath. These three records will curb-stomp your face into the concrete and then use your gory, toothless remains to perform perverse rituals.
And that’s the goddamn cruel beauty of Proclamation. The abrasive and bestial mixed with the atmospheric. Black masses with broken bones and seven chalices with sledgehammer-smashed skulls. Pure evil distilled to its bare bones, most primordial elements and used as a deadly weapon. The diabolical screech of sub-Slayer guitar leads (much like the aforementioned Teitanblood) gouging out your ears, ripping them off the sides of your head and then feeding them to you as you lay helplessly bound to the altar of sacrifice.
As the above live video attests (in spite of the beyond crappy sound quality), Proclamation are a relentless assault on the senses with a pronounced aura of deathly occult atmosphere, both visually and sonically intimidating yet frighteningly ritualistic in both approach and intent.
Although the band’s progression from album to album is subtle, each recording builds upon next, while still managing to stay rubbed totally raw and immersed in complete, utter filth. Then again, a band like Proclamation isn’t really about musical progression or evolution at all, rather they are a total regression into complete and total musical barbarism. This is music for blood-God worshipping cannibals.
Proclamation do not have a myspace page. They do not whore themselves or their music out to big metal labels, or to the ignorant metal listening masses at large. I recommend seeking out all three of their albums and digesting them in order.
THKD 