There are three bands called Arioch, two of which are from America. This one in particular is a death metal band from Michigan. Very little is known about them, other than the fact that they released only one demo called Disciples of Darkness in 1993. Also, the bassist's name is Mike Gay. Mike Gay. Yeah, I have a pretty childish sense of humor. Let's stop wasting time by giggling at a man's unfortunate last name and get to reviewing this demo already.
The production is handled really well as I can hear all the instruments perfectly. However, I just wish the snare didn't sound like the guy was pounding on an old soup kettle. The rest of the drums still sound great. They play lots of blast beats and double bass which they combine with impressive cymbal work, and their fills are very well-crafted. The bass mainly consists of a rumbling in the background, but the rumbling it does helps to flesh out the music.
The vocals consist of a hoarse growl that sounds rather Swedish in nature. Personally, I wish the growls were harsher. The guitars are the best part of this whole performance. They mainly alternate between mid-paced groove-laced riffs and fast and deep tremolo riffs. They also play a few slow doom riffs on occasion. They're all crafted very well and never seem to grow old. Best of all are the solos. These violent fretboard assaults are still rooted in death metal, but they seem to draw a great deal of influence from the Bay Area. The most amazing display of their skills can best be seen on the song “Dark Princess”. The clean guitars and sweeping solo are downright majestic. Also, they strongly remind me of Testament.
Although this demo has its flaws (as do all demos), it's still a great listen. I especially love their fantastic guitar work. These guys were great musicians, and if you're a fan of the obscure like I am, be sure to give them a chance.
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