Extol - Undeceived (2000)^{Release ID: 10270}

Extol was formed in 1993, the year Atheist, Pestilence, and Cynic released their respective prog/tech-death classics. After those bands' activity came to a halt the following year, Extol started expanding the sound left behind, beginning on a more deathly note. Back then, one of the only other Christian death metal bands was Mortification, whose lead vocalist/bassist Steve Rowe signed them to his record label for a 1996 compilation album. This would then lead to their fantastic debut Burial, followed by their second one Undeceived, which expands their sound much further and surpasses the debut by a slight point! While the extreme brutality is still there, dark insane progressiveness takes the lead. There's more prominent violin and cello in some tracks that make the doomy sections sound like My Dying Bride.

Undeceived sounds as if those Christian musicians were hypnotized to take their violent anger out on playing their instruments. The harmonic techniques stand together at once. The fury comes from the power God blessed them with. The preaching lyrics are a little stretchy, but they fit well for the implied battle between God and Satan. The clean singing by guitarist Ole Børud is quite pleasant, and they touch upon the more melodic progressive metal bands like Leprous. They also put the vocal scale in balance together with the growled vocals by Peter Espevoll.

The first track "Inferno" is a beautiful start, especially with the violins in the intro. The title track is a brilliant highlight and might just go down as one of my favorite songs in all of progressive metal. It has everything from the classical intro to deathly aggression, powerful vocals, and thrashy soloing. It's a shame they would completely discard violins from Synergy onwards. Still I'm glad to hear them in all its beauty and bliss. "Time Stands Still" is similarly structured, this time starting with medieval-ish acoustic before the violent storm. "Ember" is another memorable track, and where Børud starts singing his clean vocals. It should be noted that he has had two decades of experience before this album, starting off in a children's singing group.

"Meadows of Silence" is a relaxing acoustic interlude as a nice break from the heaviness. Then "Shelter" has a slower pace that almost reminds of the more sludgy Neurosis. "A Structure of Souls" is a well-structured highlight, once again having Børud take the front stage. "Of Light and Shade" attacks with more of a progressive melodeath sound closer to what Persefone and Insomnium would have a few years later. "Where Sleep Is Rest" is another interlude, this one having beautiful metallic melody that can compete with other progressive and non-progressive metal bands like Burst, Sikth, Sylosis, and Mercenary.

"Renewal" is another one of my favorite tracks in this album. The band can motivate you better than other bands can, especially when Børud's singing sounds inspiring. "Abandoned" is one more interlude that can fit well in a video game soundtrack. "And I Watch" seems to be shaped up by early Believer as well as Trail of Tears and Underoath at that time, thus stirring up another deathly classic to end this masterpiece!

Any non-metal person who thinks metal is the Devil's music would be proven wrong with bands like Extol. Christian metal is real and can be enjoyed by anyone, whether they're Christian or not, whether they're a metalhead or not. This band and their music shall never be forsaken!

Favorites: "Undeceived", "Ember", "A Structure of Souls", "Of Light and Shade", "Renewal", "And I Watch"