Reviews: SAT309
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As we all know, revivals by long-defunct metal bands are hit-or-miss affairs, even when the bands in question were vital in the spawning of much-beloved sub-genres within their countries (or globally) many decades ago. Talents fade, interests wane, sometimes the music seems like a pale re-tread, sometimes the effort to stand out again falls flat in a world that has moved on. But every now and then a revival proves to be a glorious occasion — and that has definitely proven true for the Serbian band Scaffold.
Born in Belgrade in 1992, the band put out their first demo that year and followed it in 1994 with a debut album named The Other Side of Reality. But by 1996 the band had dissolved, and remained dormant for a dozen years. After taking shape again in 2008, Scaffold began performing live once more, but new recorded music still didn’t surface until 2015, with the first of a few short releases.
However, on March 31st the second Scaffold album, Codex Gigas, will be released, 17 years after the first one — and it’s remarkably good. You’ll discover just how good it is today, because we’re presenting a full stream of all 8 tracks.
The revived Scaffold has been built around the talents of founding guitarist/vocalist Ivica Dujić, who is now surrounded by a trio of obviously very talented new allies. What they’ve achieved on the new record is a display of veteran, metal-loving spirit, multi-faceted song-writing, and top-shelf instrumental skill.
The songs have a backbone of bone-smashing, adrenaline-fueled death/thrash, but they’re fleshed out with a multitude of other ingredients that include anthemic heavy metal chords, paranormal keyboards, exotic serpentine melodies, and big doses of jaw-dropping guitar soloing. You can tell that the musical passions of these dudes are wide-ranging and even pre-date the flourishing of extreme metal in the ’90s.
The tracks are also packed with turn-on-a-dime tempo changes, rapidly morphing fretwork, and changing moods, all of which will likely keep listeners (and especially lovers of old-school metal) both alert and spellbound from start to finish.
The album ends with “Rotting In the Rain”, a mysterious and mesmerizing acoustic guitar instrumental that flows through the sounds of lightning and rain. But up to that point, every song is a thrill-ride, beginning with the one-two punch of “The Butcher of Rostov” and “1763 (Consecrated Ground)”.
“Butcher” begins with an exotic lilting guitar arpeggio against a backdrop of screaming women, but becomes a galloping race, packed with skull-punching drums, darting and skittering riffs, and savage growls. The music is given extra fieriness by a flame-throwing, fret-melting extended solo — which drifts away in a ghostly wail as the pacing slows and the music becomes more demented. An ethereal keyboard motif rears its spectral head, leading the music into another hell-for-leather charge.
As bracing an opener as that song is, “1763” might be even more electrifying (and proves to be highly infectious too). It’s another fast-paced, fast-changing race (but with immediate tempo changes), and it again benefits from plenty of fast-twitching fretwork as well as elements of menacing and sorcerous melody, arena-sized heavy metal chords, and a highly head-bangable chugging breakdown. The band again judiciously use swirls of eerie keyboards to create supernatural atmosphere, and blow up the listener’s blood-stream with another spectacular guitar solo.
There really aren’t any weak links among the songs that follow those two, and as noted above, the band weave together so many changes within each one that they don’t wear out their welcome — to the point that calling the album “death/thrash” is likely to be misleading, because things just aren’t that simple. “At The Dawn Of A Judgement Day”, for example, stands out in part because it repeatedly segues into slower haunting passages laden with misery, and the soloing is soulful and grief-stricken as well as berserk. But that kind of dynamism is a hallmark of all the songs.
Mention should also be made of Scaffold’s great cover of Bloodbath’s “Psychopathic Mind”, in which the band put their own distinctive spin on the original (and Dujić’s vocals do indeed sound psychopathic).
So, with that we’ll leave you to the music and our wish that you enjoy Codex Gigas as much as we have. The album is being co-released by Satanath Records and The Ritual Productions, and it’s available for pre-order now.
https://www.nocleansinging.com/2021/03/29/an-ncs-album-premiere-and-a-review-scaffold-codex-gigas/
Hailing from Serbia, Scaffold is a death/thrash group that formed back in 1992. After dropping their debut LP, The Other Side of Reality, the band broke up until reuniting in 2008. After decades of patience, we finally have a follow-up to the aforementioned full-length album. Codex Gigas will release on March 31st via Satanath Records, The Ritual Productions, and Silent Watcher Records.
With their roots in old school death metal, the raw visceral quality is still present in their latest material, yet they also have taken steps forward to present some remarkably modern death metal tight riffs as well.
You can now check out the lyric video for the new single "Five Circles in Barbed Wire" showcasing such a stellar blend of both traditional and contemporary extreme music. The track also holds a guest appearance from solo guitarist Emir Hot who is based out of Tuzla in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Moram priznati da sam bio skeptičan kada je novi materijal veterana domaće death metal i metal scene uopšte stigao do mene na recenziranje. Ta rezervisanost mahom i nije bila vezana striktno za sam Scaffold, već više za globalno zlostavljanje termina “old school”, koji je, složićemo se, neraskidivo vezan za identitet ovih veterana. Međutim, kako to obično biva sa predrasudama, nestale su vrlo brzo, tačnije već sa prvim slušanjem novog albuma. Scaffold su ovo odradili kako dolikuje, i bez ikakvih dilema mogu da kažem da je ovo njihov daleko najbolji učinak. No, da malo dublje uđemo u materiju.
Daleko od toga da je CG spektakularno ostvarenje. Sve je mahom odigrano na sigurno, bez nepotrebnog uvlačenja u eksperimentisanje, što je u ovom slučaju dobitna formula. Materijal je krajnje izbalansiranog kvaliteta po svim parametrima, ali znatno bolje realizovan nego što je to ranije bio slučaj sa izdanjima Scaffolda. Kada to kažem, mislim na svaki segment albuma.
Gitaristika i aranžiranje po P.S.-u death metala, vokal takođe, mada je on sam za sebe nešto slabija stavka, dok su sa druge strane, solaže primetno bolje nego u prošlosti. Pretpostaviću (na osnovu informacija koje je bend dostavio redakciji SMP-a) da je tome dosta doprineo i odabir gostiju, što je, po mom mišljenju, svakako plus. Ja sam uvek za gosta koji je u stanju da obogati muziku originalnog autora. Mogao bih čak i da spekulišem da ovde uticaj kako producenta, tako i gostiju nije uopšte mali. Takođe, pohvalio bih posvećenost detaljima. Sve je na svom mestu, nikakvih produkcijskih i sviračkih manjkavosti nema. Napomena samo: pod reči PRODUKCIJA ne podrazumevam samo i isključivo MIKS albuma, već zbir svih činilaca u procesu nastajanja i finalizacije albuma. Sam miks može da se podvede pod epitet “OK”. Generalno, čak ni taj dugogodišnji i odveć prepoznatljiv (po dobri ili po zlu, u zavisnosti od konteksta materijala) zvuk Paradox studija, a koji ja nikako ne preferiram, ovde ne smeta, već je korektno uklopljen u celu Codex Gigas priču.
Kada smo kod propratnih stvari, moram istaći da su Scaffold i ovde demostrirali visok stepen profesionalnosti, jer je dostavljeni promo paket sadržao sve (i više od toga), što je potrebno jednom recenzentu da kompletira sliku o albumu. Da ne zaboravim, artwork je takođe vrlo kvalitetan i prikladan, te nije samo estetski momenat, već zakružuje celinu albuma na pravi način.
Da rezimiramo, Codex Gigas je vrlo prijatno iznenađenje u neprijatno vreme, bez dileme najbolje što je Scaffold ponudio u dosadašnjoj karijeri. Ne preterano originalan, ali znalački realizovan i na tome čestitamo kako bendu, tako i svim učesnicima ovog poduhvata.
https://www.serbian-metal.org/recenzije/27969/scaffold-codex-gigas/
31 марта 2021 года на питерском лейбле «Satanath Records» вышел второй студийник ветеранов сербской дэт-метал сцены Scaffold «Codex Gigas».
Название альбома и его обложка несут в себе отсылку к так называемому Гигантскому кодексу — пергаментному иллюминированному рукописному своду начала XIII века, созданному, по-видимому, в бенедиктинском монастыре чешского города Подлажице (ныне — часть города Храст), который включает в себя полный текст Библии, труды Иосифа Флавия, «Этимологии» Исидора Севильского, «Чешскую хронику» Козьмы Пражского и другие тексты — все на латинском языке.
Поскольку в этой книге содержится полностраничное изображение сатаны, в массовой культуре за ней закрепилось название «Дьявольской Библии» (чеш. Ďáblova bible, швед. Djävulsbibeln).
Scaffold, одна из старейших дэт-метал групп Сербии, была основана еще в далеком 1992 году, но буквально через пару лет она распалась. Однако за это время ребята успели выпустить свой дебютник «The Other Side of Reality» (1994).
Реюньон случился лишь в 2008 году, и рецензируемый мною сейчас диск является первой студийной работой банды, записанной после ее воссоединения.
Материал, представленный на данной пластинке, представляет собой олдскульный дэт-трэш-метал с небольшим налетом прогрессива, с мелодичными гитарными соляками и атмосферными симфоническими вставками, в духе таких групп, как Pestilence, Death, Cancer, Autopsy и Kreator. Влияние наследия Чака Шульдинера более всего прослеживается в вокале.
Также дань уважения музыканты отдали и современному дэт-метал в лице шведской группы Bloodbath – они записали кавер на их песню «Psychopathic Mind».
Я не назвала бы музыку этих сербов брутальной – мелодики здесь более чем достаточно, бласт-битов мало - за скоростью Scaffold явно не гонятся. Но зато в ней живет та атмосфера 90-х годов, в которые творили все известные корифеи тогда еще только зарождавшегося стиля дэт-метал.
В общем, для всех поклонников дэта старой школы данный релиз просто обязателен к ознакомлению.
https://vk.com/@kalistka.blog-recenziya-na-albom-scaffold-codex-gigas-2021
Serbian band Scaffold is out with the album "Codex Gigas", and extreme metal is the genre of choice on this one. With a raspy, dark and almost whispered lead vocal style the band sets themselves ever so slightly apart in that department, and the songs themselves are typically dynamic ranging from slower metal paced passages through a couple of variations of thrash metal tinged modes of delivery through to more uptempo and intense sequences, the latter reminding me quite a bit of good, old Possessed from their early days. Complementing the arrangements are distant, cold keyboard textures that create a haunting, alien atmosphere when applied, and some instances of cinematic sounds appear here and there too. Including on the concluding atmospheric piece, a creation that actually made me think back to an old computer game called Diablo from the 1990's. Scaffold is sorted as a death metal band, and my impression is that their take on the genre is a more traditional one. Hence I'd suspect that many fans of traditional or perhaps even old school death metal should find this production an enjoyable one.
https://www.facebook.com/wildernessviking/posts/4072815166150152
En jetant un œil rapide sur le parcours de Scaffold, on se rend compte que les Serbes ont sorti leur première démo (« The Truth Is Buried« ) en 1992, leur premier album en 1994 (« The Other Side of Reality« ) et que cela les range dans les précurseurs du death européen, ou tout du moins de leur pays natal. Au début des années 90, je ne pense pas trop me tromper en disant que la Serbie n’était pas vraiment un vivier du metal extrême.
Mais en dépit de cette ancienneté le groupe n’a plus rien sorti jusqu’en 2015 et si je mets de côté les EP, Live, Single, etc., « Codex Gigas » n’est jamais que le deuxième LP du quatuor qui, à l’écoute, aurait pu sortir entre 1992 et 1995. En effet, tout est resté comme figé dans le temps : la production, le type de composition, le chant, le tempo, le riffing, absolument tout !
Pour situer, je dirais que Scaffold est très proche des premiers Dismember et Morgoth avec une petite touche d’originalité conférée par un usage parcimonieux de claviers. A ce titre, Satanath Records a eu le nez vraiment creux en signant le groupe, un véritable Hibernatus qui sonne totalement authentique, et pour cause ! Point de revival, les mecs étaient là dans les années 90 et ils jouent comme si rien ne s’était passé en 30 ans !
Me concernant, je suis totalement sous le charme de cette formation délicieusement rétro qui fait revivre un style, une ambiance, une atmosphère que l’on pensait perdue, le tout avec un certain talent.
Rien que pour cela, « Codex Gigas » m’apparaît comme un incontournable.
http://www.soilchronicles.fr/chroniques/scaffold-codex-gigas
Saludos a todos los metalheads que nos leen en varias partes del mundo, bienvenidos a una edición más de Broken Tomb. No podemos dejar pasar en vano innumerables recientes materiales discográficos y que en un futuro nos espera más.
El día de hoy presentamos a la banda Scaffold que regresó con su segundo álbum oficial titulado «Codex Gigas», conoceremos un poco de esta banda y de su reciente material, así que, ¡ damos inicio !
Scaffold es una banda de Death Metal originarios de Belgrado, Serbia. Esta agrupación se formó en 1992 y mantiene en sus filas desde ese año a Ivica Dujić (vocalista, guitarrista). Como miembros de la nueva era cuentan con Antonio Ismailović (guitarrista principal), Aleksandar Mušicki (baterista) y Milán Dobrosavljević (bajista).
La banda en 1992 empezó con material destacado con su primer demo «The Truth Is Buried» y en 1994 presenta su primer LP oficial «The Other Side of Reality». Esta leyenda de la vieja escuela del death metal tuvo un parón bastante prologando y regresaron en el 2015 con su live oficial «The Other Side of Reality: Live» y en el 2015 con «At Dinner with Cannibals».
Para el 31 de marzo del presente año los serbios regresan con su segundo álbum oficial titulado «Codex Gigas» bajo el apoyo discográfico Satanath Records.
Lo primero que tengo que mencionar es la voz de Ivica Dujić. Ivica mantiene un gruñido muy profundo y áspero a lo largo de todo el álbum con algunas variaciones menores en ciertas canciones. Lo que hace que la voz de Ivica en este LP es un enfoque especial, en mi opinión, es que de alguna manera se las arregla para enunciar las palabras que está diciendo y, sin embargo, mantiene un gruñido muy profundo y desgarrador. Es como si alguien estuviera hablando contigo en lugar de un vocalista de death metal haciendo una voz de death metal por el bien de las voces de death metal. Esa es una de las razones por las que este álbum es tan pesado. Puedo mencionar que tiene influencias que se acercan en cualidades explicadas a Chuck Schuldiner (Death, Control Denied) o Martin van Drunen (Asphyx).
En cuanto a la instrumentación, el guitarrista principal, Antonio Ismailović hace un trabajo increíble al crear algunos riffs pulverizantes y espeluznantes. Por su lado, Aleksandar Mušick el baterista de Scaffold, hace un trabajo fantástico en este álbum. Puedes escuchar la intensidad en cada canción así como el tecnicismo. La batería no es solo una batería de death metal típica, Aleksandar tiene algunas firmas de tiempo extrañas cuando se trata de sus ritmos explosivos, pero de alguna manera encaja y suena brutal. Milán Dobrosavljević hace un trabajo sobresaliente con capacidades para tocar el bajo se muestran muy bien completo en el LP.
Hablando de las canciones; son todas a la velocidad del rayo (no en su totalidad ya que Scaffold son técnicos) y son implacablemente pesadas. Repito nuevamente la voz inhumana de Ivica Dujić es extremadamente profunda, áspera y … en su mayor parte descifrable … un estilo vocal que influye.
El álbum comienza con el tema ‘The Butcher of Rostov‘ y con solo decirlo tiene algunos de los mejores riffs presentes en el álbum; con un estribillo pegadizo y solos de guitarras humeantes, es muy pegadiza e increíble para arrancar ! Un tema conceptual acerca de Andrei Chikatilo, el temible «carnicero de Rostov», el asesino serial más sádico de la Unión Soviética.
Vamos con el tema #2 ‘1763 (Consecrated Ground)‘ sencillo del presente álbum. Un track que encarna todo lo bueno del death metal, con riffs agresivos, influenciados por una atmósfera melódica intrigantes pero aún audibles que se percibe en el comienzo del álbum. Con voces que redefinen por completo lo que significa ser metal.
Tema #3 ‘Five Circles in Barbed Wire‘, un impacto total con una terrible e impresionante atmósfera de descomposición. Los cambios de tempo de las partes podridas de doomy y las bestiales rápidas están bien hechos. Aquí Ivica literalmente demacra en el micrófono… ¡genial! Los solos también son excelentes como siempre !!!
Tema #4 ‘In These Dreams‘, la pura ferocidad de su música implacablemente violenta pero artística manifiesta y exhibe su talento y competencia. Cada canción que sigue es una prueba de sus habilidades y experiencia, esta tonada es de la más malvada del redondo. Te encuentras atrapado en la atmósfera nefasta, poseído por su poder. Los serbios son una máquina de riffs; se le ocurren cosas tan virtuosas y da nuevas melodías como si estuviera dirigiendo. Otra razón por la que esto no es como esos álbumes de death monótonos son las frecuentes fluctuaciones y alternancias de tempo que ayudan a capturar la esencia y la sensación de este álbum.
Seguimos con el tema #5 ‘At the Dawn of Judgement Day‘ aquí la música de Scaffold entra y sale entre ritmos lentos y densos, pesados como cualquier otra cosa, y luego frena en densos estallidos de puro death metal. Comienza con un riff lento, casi fatal. Seguido de un extraño conjunto de notas, con un ritmo de batería invertido que da una buena sensación, antes de pasar a un ritmo de batería y riff más asesinos y cabeceador !
Vamos con el tema #6 ‘Variola Verae‘; es una pequeña obra maestra de death metal lento/veloz y doom con algunos efectos de sonido espeluznantes y algunas melodías geniales. Una gran canción versátil, larga, no repetitiva que llega a los 7 minutos de duración, muestra la diversidad en la música de Scaffold, ¡además la parte del medio es asombrosamente musical ! Otro gran, genial trabajo en guitarras.
Continuemos con el cover ‘Psycophatic Mind‘ pieza original de una mítica banda como lo es Bloodbath, pero no confundamos con la banda sueca. En Serbia hasta 1995 existió la banda Bloodbath; banda Death/Thrash, donde Scaffold le hace honor a un «Traumatic Memories» (1992) donde contiene algunos cambios de tiempo perversos, solos desgarradores y un final directo al grano.
El punto y final lo pone ‘Rotting in the Rain’, una instrumental muy solemne en la que a menudo se vuelve contemplativa e introspectiva digna para culminar.
Si no está seguro sobre el death metal, confíe en mí y eche un vistazo a este disco. Es accesible y pegadizo, pero brutal e implacable. Es la definición de todo lo bueno en el death metal de la vieja escuela. Este disco obtiene la nota máxima por méritos propios. Si eres fanático de los poderosos Death, Kreator y Pestilence, ¡ este es el álbum que estabas esperando escuchar !, este álbum debería estar en el estante de cualquier death metalero.
https://www.brokentombmagazine.com/2021/05/12/critica-scaffold-codex-gigas-2021/
Seems to me like it’s been a couple of forevers ago since I first heard about the new Scaffold album. Being closely connected with the band for years now got me into all the talks, announcements, preparations for it. And finally, the follower to 1994’s “The Other Side of Reality” is here.
Now, Scaffold has been more than active in the meantime. Apart of the break in activity they’ve had, for the past decade the boys have had a number of releases and re-releases that should’ve prepped us all for “Codex Gigas”. Also, they are among the most active live bands in this area. Add to this the countless line-up changes, and you get why it took a long time to finish this album.
Regarding music itself, the new record is the expected continuation of what Scaffold always stood for. Naturally, for a band with such a long career, their road is set and surprises are not likely. Even with the mentioned changes in personnel.
Death metal is the name of the game. Old school type, of course. The roots of the genre are well-respected in every aspect of “Codex Gigas”. Remember back in the day, when just a mere mention of Florida told you all about what’s going to happen when you place the needle on the spinning black plastic? Well, that’s mostly where Scaffold draws their inspiration. Early recordings by Obituary, Morbid Angel, Deicide, with some mid-era Death (mostly in the lead guitar sections).
The quartet does implement a touch of melody to the mix, as well. Just enough to make it a more versatile piece of music, without sliding into overly Swedish sound.
When it comes to other ingredients for “Codex Gigas”, there’s a pinch of thrash metal, ala Testament. It takes a bit more of an attentive listener to spot them, but they’re there. Plus, occasionally Scaffold uses a subtle keyboard background to add to the atmosphere. But those too are background layers that only enhance the listening experience.
But the thing that separates Scaffold are the lyrical themes. They mostly dwell on history. Okay, more precisely, diseases, serial killers and similar topics not for the faint of heart, but still away from any gore, mindless blasphemy or anything else that would associate them to the early death metal heroes. “At the Dawn of Judgement Day” uses lyrics from a very famous Serbian chant, closely connected to the battle of Kosovo in 1389. “The Butcher of Rostov” is a notorious serial killer. “Variola Verae” is an infectious disease that almost created the same effect as this, most recent, virus. And so on and so forth.
“Psychopathic Mind” could have been avoided, as it is a cover of an old, and long disbanded, Serbian act. And it already appeared on previous Scaffold releases. I see no point in pushing it once again, but never mind.
As for Serbian scene, “Codex Gigas” (along with the new Infest album) is the highlight of the death metal year so far. On a more global scale, there might just be a chance for Scaffold, especially since the album is released on a bunch of labels worldwide. The album is one that will warm up those old death metal hearts. Whether it will have a more profound effect on those looking for new ways of expression is a bigger question that only time can answer.
http://www.abaddon-magazine.com/reviews/review-scaffold-codex-gigas/
1992 in Serbien gegründet, kann man im nächsten Jahr auf drei Dekaden Scaffold zurückblicken. Nach einer Demo im Gründungsjahr und dem danach folgenden Debüt-Album in 1994 geht es in 2015 richtig ans Eingemachte. Zwei EP‘s und zwei Live-Alben gehen an den Start. 2016 eine Split und 2017 eine Single und im Januar diesen Jahres wieder ein Album, auf das ich mich jetzt freue.
Es gibt von Anfang bis Ende mächtig auf die Trommelfelle. Schneidende und eingängige Riffs brennen sich in mein Gehör. Von den Vocals ganz zu schweigen, was für ein Organ. Ein absolut stimmiges Zusammenspiel aller Fraktionen und ein richtig fetter Sound. Dem old School Death wird mächtig Tribut gezollt.
„Psychopathic Mind“, das Bloodbath-Cover gefällt mir persönlich besser als das Original, sorry Bloodbath. Es ist stimmgewaltiger und geht noch etwas tiefer unter die Haut, unter meine jedenfalls.
„Rotting In The Rain“, ein kurzer instrumentaler „Tranquillizer“ am Ende einer gewaltigen Trackliste. Chapeau.
https://www.hellfire-magazin.de/scaffold-codex-gigas/
Pod ovim imenom sa ili bez prefixa 'the' može se naći sijaset metal, rock i pop bendova iz Austrije, Danske, Madžarske, Izraela, Britanije, Slovenije, te čak dva iz Rusije, no ovdje je riječ o ekipi iz Beograda i Zemuna koja je u prvoj, vrlo kratkoj fazi od 1992. do 1996. (znani i kao The True Scaffold) ostavila jedan demo "The Truth Is Buried" (1992) s kojeg su na ovome, tek drugom albumu u diskografiji ponovno uvrstili temu "Variola vera", te prvi album "The Other Side of Reality" (1994) realiziran samo kao audio-kaseta. I na ovaj album su ponovno podsjetili novom verzijom pjesme "At the dawn of judgement day" (ranije naslovljena kao "In the dawn of judgement day").
Ponovno su se okupili 2008. u novoj formaciji; od stare ekipe ostao je samo vođa, pjevač i gitarist Ivica Dujić - Dujke. Tijekom narednih godina postava se stalno mijenjala, povratnički EP "Like the Devil in the Church" su objavili tek 2015. i onda zaredali dva živa koncertna zapisa, još jedan istoimeni EP u extended varijanti, jedan split EP i jedan singl, a današnju postavu počeli su formirati dolaskom glavnog gitariste Antonija Ismailovića 2016. koji je s Dujkeom jedno vrijeme proveo u bendu Clan (znan i kao Klan). Bubnjar Aleksandar Mušicki je pristigao 2018. (paralelno radi i u symphonic metal/ rock sastavu Aurium), a basist Milan Dobrosavljević 2020. (svira i u onom odličnom Sacramental Blood čiji je album "Ternion Demonarchy" www.terapija.net/mjuzik.asp?ID=24384 na ovim stranicama 2016. dobio 9/10). Moglo bi se reći da je Dujke oko sebe okupio svojevrsnu supergrupu provjerenih kreativaca, gotovo veterana, a tražiti odušak onog starog duha benda kada su u njemu bili mladi dečki, uglavnom dvadesetogodišnjaci u ranim godinama stvar je sentimentalne nostalgije koju svakako ne treba zaboraviti, ali joj ne pridavati niti neke relevantne paralele jer je ovdje mnogo toga fantastično i profesionalno napravljeno na svjetskoj razini.
No, zato su im glazba i stil duboko uronjeni u temeljna načela deatha s konca 80-ih i tendencija 90-ih, elem onog svirački strastvenog i energičnog urnebesa kada se još nisu rabili triggeri za blastbeatove, kada je ritmika bila ultrabrzi hardcore thrash metal, kada su vokali bili čisti i razgovjetni u bijesnom grlenom izričaju, kada nisu bili silovani pod svaku cijenu glumatanjima urlika ranjene zvijeri, te kada je kompaktna svirka bila glavna osovina i nije se pretjeravalo sa 'cifranjima' i ukrašavanjima prebiranja po skalama u besomučnoj potrazi za velebnim remek-djelima insinuirajući opoziciju progressive metalu i symphonic paradama. A konkretno u slučaju ovog njihovog tek drugog pravog albuma to znači da su riffovi besprijekorno uglađeni, chuggasti i pumpajući, kratko nafilani s puno trzaja i melodijskih međuigri, no nikako ne pretendiraju na melodic death koji je sasvim drugačijih karakteristika, ritmovi su našpanani u visokim, no ne i prevelikim brzinama, taman da daju idealnu korespodenciju balansa. Osim toga, ovdje nema producentskih štoseva spomenutih triggera, sofisticirane produkcije, a još manje elektronike koja sve češće ulazi i u pore deatha. Kraće rečeno, ovo je death onakav kakvog znamo s odličnom, kristalno jasnom zvučnom slikom, ma samo za poželjeti i još povrh toga, imaju umjetničke kompozitorske dekoracije.
Osam tema prožeto je svakodnevnim turbulencijama često zavijenim u metafore koji puta i s daškom armagedonskog horrora, no daleko od toga da Dujke piše tekstove o povezanosti s nečastivim i sličnim teatralizmom. Ima tu mnogo ljudskih posrtanja pretraživajući tamne strane psihe, kao i društvenih, odnosno svjetovnih prekupacija usko vezanih uz rat i historiju, a takva tematika je, svi to jako dobro znamo, na ovim našim balkanskim prostorima izrazito bogata i nepresušna inspiracija da se ne treba izlaziti barem u tom aspektu, kao što mnogi umiju, lutati po nadahnućima američke kinematografije ili skandinavskih mitova. Prvi singl "1763 (consecrated ground)", snažno napucan uvodnim gitarsko-bubnjarskim šaržama pretvarajući se u kombinaciju s umjerenim tempom je djelomično inspiriran starom kapelom groblja gdje su pokopana oba Dujkina roditelja (spot je snimljen u Dolovu gdje je ekraniziran čuveni horror "Sveto mesto" Đorđe Kadijevića 1990.), no krenimo od prve skladbe "The butcher of Rostov" s atmosferično mračnim uvodom i eksterijernim snimcima nakon 40 sekundi ulazi u gromki deathrash bez visokih tonova; bas je vraški moćan, a vokal izbačen u prvi plan s galopima dostojnih svake pohvale. Središnji dio jesu kraća 'cifranja' gitarskih skala, no one imaju vitalnu funkciju uljuljavanja u psihodeličnu atmosferu pred konac kompozicije. Ovdje su i breakovi znatno doprinjeli koegzistentnom aranžamanu. S početnim tromim tempom drugog singla "Five circles in barbed wire" bend pokazuje fleksibilnu majstoriju i u ambijentalnim sekvencama harmonija koje se često mogu čuti u pozadini, a također su česta i razbijanja ritmike na nekoliko frakcija od galopa do umjerenih, te zahtjevnih radova prstiju na žicama poput Pestilence.
Sa slatkijim interludijem u "In these dreams" počinje tromiji spektar halucinogeno-paranoične teme u kojoj i nema mnogo teksta, pa makar spomenuh da nisu progressive orijentirani, može se osjetiti jedna sasvim drugačija kompozitorska 'etida' - kompleksnost sa stalnim 'up & down' promjenama ne dajući niti najmanjoj primisli da bi album mogao zaći u monotoniju ili predvidljivost. Nakon toga slijede dvije stare, već navedene pjesme. "At the dawn of a judgement day" iz turobno depresivnog uvoda ide u solidan 4/4 takt s melodičnim vodiljama razbarušenih gitara uz nekoliko potrebnih pauza kojima se radi gradacija stupnjevanja po nivoima; ovo je čak i umjetnički relevantan pokazatelj fleksibilnosti Scaffolda. Završni dio je gotovo doveden do abrazivne, naravno, namjerne konfuzije iz koje se vrlo lako izvlače sjajnim galopima. Najdulja "Variola vera" (prvotno nazvana "Memories from the past") je, podsjetimo, inspirirana istoimenim čuvenim filmom katastrofe Gorana Markovića iz 1982., a započinje upravo samplovima kada je kosovski glumac Džemail Maskut (u filmu Halil Redžepi) na muslimanskom hodočašću kupio frulicu od lika zaraženog velikim boginjama i potom zarazio cijelu bolnicu u kojoj se liječio prouzročivši epidemiju. Tada se na filmu po prvi puta u okvirima jugoslavenske kinematografije, barem koliko se ja sjećam kao balavi klinac tinejdžer, pojavila ekranizacija karantene i izolacije za koju smo tada laički pretpostavljali da je moguća samo na filmu smatrajući kako živimo u bezbjednom i sigurnom društvu. Da, Juga naša bivša je bila oaza lijepog života 80-ih, a film smo smatrali odličnim 'srednjim prstom' kritike tadašnjem establišmentu u kome je nakon Titove smrti bilo najviše nesposobnih kukavica, lopova, varalica i gomile nepotrebnih birokrata. Pjesma je stacionirana upravo u adekvatnom raspoloženju, kako u originalu daleke 1992. kada se ta velika federacija raspala, tako i u ovom fantastičnom remakeu u trajanju od 7 i pol minuta za kojeg se slobodno može konstatirati da je vraški kompleksna s brojnim aranžmanskim poduhvatima, ali daleko od toga da naginje prog-death zavrzlamama. Puca se na dramatiku i jasnu slikovitost s mnogim kolažnim dodacima poput minijaturnog 'short-movie' horrora koji istim elementima govori o Covid-19 pandemiji, još užasnijoj pošasti od kuge i velikih boginja. Valjalo bi za ovo napraviti neki vraški dobro režiran video...
Ovdje se nalazi i obrada srpskog kratkotrajnog, ali veoma utjecajnog benda Bloodbath (1990-1994) "Psychopathic mind" s albuma "Traumatic Memories" iz 1992. (u povratničkoj fazi su obradili i "Suicidal future" na živom EP-iju "Like Devil in the Church", 2015., Taurnum Records), a ako idete uspoređivati original s ovim coverom shvatiti će te koliko je, ha, učenik nadmašio učitelja. Bloodbath ipak nisu imali ovakvu produkciju, ovakvu svirku, a i ovakav vokal, no sve je tu uglavnom vrlo dobro kompozitorski uravnoteženo u kompleksnim gabaritima itekako zahtjevne kompozicije. Zadnja "Rotting in the rain" je kratka akustična staccato instrumentalka uz, naravno romor kiše i ponekog groma, a može biti i sastavni dio mnogih soundtrackova.
Dujke i ekipa su napravili sjajan album, ono što se kaže, životno remek-djelo. Svaka kompozicija je posebna i drugačija, koncizno i u tančine detaljizirana, bez vulgarizacije i ustaljenih šablona, bez paradoksa kojima bi auditorij razbijao glavu, tako pristupačno i sabrano, staloženo, ponavljam i kompleksno, umjetnički sređeno da se i death slobodno može ovim albumom pridružiti svim onim rock žanrovima s predznakom art.
Bravo susjedi! Oba palca u zrak. Ovo je domaći (ili ex-Yu) death metal album godine.
http://www.terapija.net/mjuzik.asp?ID=30504
Scaffold honors Old School Death Metal with its second album.
Created in 1992 in Serbia by Ivica Dujic (vocals/guitar, ex-Clan), the band releases an album then disbands. It surfaces again in 2008, and it’s after several releases and line-up changes that Antonio Ismailovic (guitar, ex-Clan), Aleksandar Mušicki (drums, Aurium), Milan Dobrosavljevic (bass, Sacramental Blood) and the band leader release Codex Gigas.
Everything into the band’s universe evokes greasy and strong Old School Death Metal. From the artwork created by Ardha Lepa (Clitgore, Creeping Death, Thy Dominion…) to the sound borrowed to the style’s founders, it was hard for me to believe this album is released in 2021.
The album is composed of six original compositions, a cover and an outro. The six song made by the band gather all that we like into Death Metal, pure aggressiveness, greasy and violent riffs, morbid howlings and above all this hooking sound that sometimes knows to accelerate while staying heavy. The Butcher of Rostov is an excellent proof, and the band doesn’t hesitate to add piercing leads and mystical influences to this thick melting, like on the warlike 1763 (Consecrated Ground). The song accelerates, slows down, throw killer harmonics and give us the will to tear a whole venue apart, while Five Circles in Barbed Wire can be the song to headbang on at the first row, while enjoying bloody parts. In Theses Dreams offers us melancholic melodies while keeping this heavy and dark basis, like the mysterious At the Dawn of Judgement Day. The song is clearly more complex than the others, whether it is about rhythmic or leads, showing once more the band’s influences, that connoisseurs already recognized in a second.
Variola Verae and its oriental tones also offer us complex and well-worked parts, that contrast with the band’s sound raw basis. The song is the longest, and allows the band to spread all its rage, its acrimony and its strength, but also its creativity and mystical parts, before a cover of the legendary Bloodbath. The song chosen is Psychopathic Mind, an oppressive and dark song the band wonderfully transcribes while adding its own touch. Frightening keyboards join this raw rhythmic before Rotting in the Rain, a very soft intro with mesmerizing clean sound, accompanied by a storm.
Scaffold’s universe was forged into Death Metal from the eighties. Impossible not to feel those influences on Codex Gigas, as they smell death, majestic but morbid tones and burning rage.
https://actainfernalis.com/2021/04/06/review-575-scaffold-codex-gigas-english/
1992 in Serbien gegründet, kann man im nächsten Jahr auf drei Dekaden Scaffold zurückblicken. Nach einer Demo im Gründungsjahr und dem danach folgenden Debüt-Album in 1994 geht es in 2015 richtig ans Eingemachte. Zwei EP‘s und zwei Live-Alben gehen an den Start. 2016 eine Split und 2017 eine Single und im Januar diesen Jahres wieder ein Album, auf das ich mich jetzt freue.
Es gibt von Anfang bis Ende mächtig auf die Trommelfelle. Schneidende und eingängige Riffs brennen sich in mein Gehör. Von den Vocals ganz zu schweigen, was für ein Organ. Ein absolut stimmiges Zusammenspiel aller Fraktionen und ein richtig fetter Sound. Dem old School Death wird mächtig Tribut gezollt.
„Psychopathic Mind“, das Bloodbath-Cover gefällt mir persönlich besser als das Original, sorry Bloodbath. Es ist stimmgewaltiger und geht noch etwas tiefer unter die Haut, unter meine jedenfalls.
„Rotting In The Rain“, ein kurzer instrumentaler „Tranquillizer“ am Ende einer gewaltigen Trackliste. Chapeau.
https://www.hellfire-magazin.de/scaffold-codex-gigas/
Review.
https://www.dargedik.com/2021/05/scaffold-codex-gigas-2021-resena.html
Věřím tomu. Dvě strany jedné mince. Dobro a negace. Pozoruji to již dlouho. Světem se pomalu šíří zlo. Jakoby někdo chodil mezi lidmi a přednášel z Ďáblovy bible. Obrácené modlitby, spousta z nás lační po krvi. Kati by mohli vyprávět. Nekonečný souboj, který nelze vyhrát. Obracíš stránky ve starodávné knize. Slyšíš šepot démonů. Rozdávají příkazy. Jdi a zabij, poruš všechny přikázání, desatero je jenom kusem papíru. Zmítáš se v pochybnostech. Mozek se vaří ve vlastní šťávě. Nakonec vyhraje temnota. Jako vždycky.
Podle dostupných informací byla Ďáblova bible sepsána ve 13. století. V české Chrudimi. Autor byl dle pověsti za toto dílo zazděn zaživa. Je tu ale srbská legendární death metalová kapela SCAFFOLD, která po mnoha letech oživila jeho myšlenky a probudila pradávné zlo. Pomocí pravého, ryzího, sírou nasáklého smrtícího kovu.
SCAFFOLD se vrátili zpět a jsou věrni tomu, co umí nejlépe. Death metalu a thrashi starého střihu. Při poslechu jejich novinky si rádi a s chutí zavzpomínáte na dobu, kdy světu vládly kapely typu PESTILENCE, MASTER, OBITUARY, MORBID ANGEL, MERCYLLES, MASSACRE, POSSESSED, VITAL REMAINS a spousta dalších smeček, které ctí staré pořádky. "Codex Gigas" je jako návštěva opuštěného kláštera, kde je hluboko pod zemí pohřben padlý mnich. Také cítíte z hudby prašivinu? Zažloutlé spisy, ze kterých by se nemělo číst nahlas. Parádní plesnivý zvuk, chorobný vokál, ale hlavně riffy a melodie, které vás pohřbí zaživa. Pro mě, jako pro starého fanouška pohřbů do země a pravého death metalu, je hrozně příjemné se vrátit spolu s kapelou do devadesátých let minulého století. Osvěžit si vzpomínky a užívat si chladné procházky podsvětím. SCAFFOLD nahráli syrovou a syrovou desku, která má drive a velkou sílu. Cituje se na ní ze starých death metalových rukopisů a je tak prováděno s velkým citem pro věc. Srbové si mě ihned omotali kolem prstu, uvrhli do temnoty a navěky prokleli. Jsem tomu moc rád. Tohle je totiž ryzí, nefalšovaný smrtící kov z kvalitního železa. Poklekněte a skloňte hlavu, Satan přichází!
Asphyx says:
I believe it. Two sides of one coin. Good and negation. I've been watching it for a long time. Evil is slowly spreading around the world. It was as if someone was walking among the people and lecturing from the Devil's Bible. Inverted prayers, many of us are hungry for blood. Executioners could tell. An endless duel that can't be won. You are turning the pages in an ancient book. You hear the whispers of demons. They give orders. Go and kill, break all commandments, “ten rules” is just a piece of paper. You are in doubt. The brain boils in its own juice. In the end, the darkness wins. As always.
According to the available information, the Devil's Bible was written in the 13th century. In Czech town Chrudim. According to the legend, the author was walled up alive for this work. But there is the Serbian legendary death metal band SCAFFOLD, which after many years revived his thoughts and awakened ancient evil. With real, pure, sulphur-soaked death metal.
SCAFFOLD have returned and are loyal to what they do the best. To death metal and thrash metal in old style. While listening to their new album, you are happy of remembering the time when the world was ruled by bands such as PESTILENCE, MASTER, OBITUARY, MORBID ANGEL, MERCYLLES, MASSACRE, POSSESSED, VITAL REMAINS and many other bands that respect the old order. "Codex Gigas" is like a visit to an abandoned monastery, where a fallen monk is buried deep underground. Do you also smell dusty from music? Yellowed writings that should not be read aloud. Great mouldy sound, sick vocals, but mainly riffs and melodies that will bury you alive. For me, as an old fan of funerals and real death metal, it's very nice to go back with the band to the nineties of the last century. Refresh your memories and enjoy cool walks through the underworld. SCAFFOLD recorded a raw record, which has a drive and great power. It is quoted on it from old death metal manuscripts and is thus performed with great feelings. The Serbs immediately engulfed me, threw me into the darkness, and cursed forever. I'm very happy about that. This is pure, unadulterated death metal made of quality iron. Kneel and bow your head, Satan is coming!
https://www.deadlystormzine.com/2021/03/recenzereview-scaffold-codex-gigas-2021.html
Srbští SCAFFOLD lze považovat za kultovní záležitost a pranic na tom nemění, že o jejich existenci nebudete mít v našich končinách příliš povědomost. My máme KRABATHOR, Srbsko má SCAFFOLD. Old school death metalové monstrum na svém aktuálním albu „Codex Gigas“ (sympatická volba názvu ve vztahu k zemím Koruny České) dělá radost nám všem staromilcům, které stále fascinují staré pořádky, starý death metal s výraznými thrash metalovými kořeny. Že SCAFFOLD nejsou žádní vizionáři, to je myslím v tuto chvíli naprosto jasné, jejich verze old school death metalu však diskuze o smyslu starého stylu předem odsuzuje k nezdaru a nesmyslnosti.
„Codex Gigas“ mi silně připomněl dva zářivé klenoty žánru, a to „Spiritual Healing“ a „From Beyond“. Výchozí pozici má téměř stejnou, na thrashovém základě vystavěný hrubý a tradiční death metal, čpící hnilobou a smrtí. Forma je jasná, výrazové prostředky nepřipouští pochybnosti, atmosféra dopovídá stylu. Nabízí se otázka, proč se věnují srbské kapele, která produkuje styl, který je tři dekády mimo trendovou vlnu a nemá nárok překonat dobové perly. Myslím, a co myslím, jsem přesvědčen, že nikdo při smyslech se ani nepokouší vymazat z piedestalu „Seven Churches“, Leprosy a mnohé další, a ani SCAFFOLD netrpí nesmyslným stihomamem. SCAFFOLD mají tu výhodu, že jsou dobová záležitost. Že se probrali k životu pod dvaceti sedmi letech neznamená, že opustí své poctivé kořeny a popřou sami sebe. „Codex Gigas“ pokračuje tam, kde se uzavřela první etapa, přesněji debutové a na dlouhou dobu jediné album „The Other Side Of Reality“ z roku 1994.
Paralela s old school titány je sice jasná a nepřeslechnutelná, SCAFFOLD si však s žádným z nich rozhodně nespletete. „Codex Gigas“ je dostatečně svébytným kouskem a vyhýbá se přílišným citacím z externích zdrojů. Hrubý a hutný zvuk a stejně tak silná a morbidní atmosféra je velmi přitažlivou vábničkou pro death metalové šílence, kteří se poohlíží po další neokoukané kapele hrnoucí starou dobrou smrtelnou klasiku. SCAFFOLD uchopili staré dobré a důvěrně známé postupy s obratností kočkovité šelmy, album netrpí únavou a vyčpělostí a už vůbec ne nedostatkem citu pro výstavbu skladeb. Skladby vedle důvěrně známého old school pojetí zaujmou svou nabroušeností, riffy se jednoznačně povedly, není problém zaběhnout do thrashového výraziva a v pravý moment opět se s elegancí vrátit do domácí márnice.
„Codex Gigas“ má vše, co od starého death metalu očekávám – chorobnou atmosféru, sympaticky nečistý zvuk, stylový vokál a přesnou rytmiku. Formě nelze nic vytknout, obsah „Codex Gigas“ je však tím důvodem, proč se tímto albem vůbec zabývám. Kvalita obsahu, nehledě na objem celosvětového věhlasu (SCAFFOLD by si každopádně zasloužili daleko více pozornosti, než se jim dostává) je pro mou osobu až překvapivě vysoko. Nehovořím o průměru, to by pravděpodobně nevznikla ani tahle recenze. Hovořím o poctivém, uvěřitelném a kvalitně odvedeném death metalovém řemesle. A to se mi jen tak nepřeposlouchá!!!
https://www.metal-line.cz/articles/recenze-scaffold-codex-gigas-2021-satanath-records-2161