Alien Crucifixion – Relics of a Dark Star

Lots of extreme metal bands like to talk about things like death and Satan and whatnot, but there aren't that many that like to talk about aliens. I'm not talking about writing a few one-off songs like Megadeth's “Hangar 18”, I mean bands that are totally devoted to aliens. So far, the only two I've been able to find are Ahulabrum and Alien Crucifixion. Today, we're gonna focus on Alien Crucifixion. Very little is known about them and no one knows who the members are. They released only one full-length album called Relics of a Dark Star. It was originally recorded back in 2001 and slated for release that same year, but then the band members were supposedly abducted by aliens for several years. The album was eventually released in 2009, and no one's heard from the band since.

These guys play technical death/grind that is short, straightforward, and hits like a truck. Most of the songs never last more than a minute, but they're packed full of extreme awesomeness. I'm pretty sure the drums are programmed, but they display a great deal of skill, spewing forth a torrent of hard-hitting blast beats as well as some sweet fills. The vocals consist of an insane scream and a monstrous growl. They're both well-performed and complement each other nicely.

The guitars are the best part. Their tone reminds me of Deicide and Cannibal Corpse, influences which can be heard most clearly on songs like “Ko Tah Ne Ru”. I can ever hear a bit of Nile in there. The riffs rip their way through the music like snakes made of lightning. Their structures range from the simple and familiar to the complex and – dare I say it – alien. Sometimes they'll fly into wild bits of technical wankery that makes you feel like the sky is collapsing in on you, as if the alien invasion force is fast approaching you and there's not much time left. They also make sure to include plenty of solos and melodic bits that really spice things up.

There's also the issue of the audio clips at the beginnings of every song. I hate audio clips, but I think they fit quite well here. They're also short, don't distract from the music, and don't drag on forever. Mortician can learn a thing or two from these guys. Overall, this was an awesome album. I especially loved the riffs and the solos. We need more alien-worshiping extreme metal.