Greece’s Profane Prayer released the “Bloodred Fullmoon” demo back in 2007, but having started to distribute it again more recently, discovered that there was a wide-ranging and rabid interest. They turned to the wonderful Misantrof Anti-Records to solve the problem, close the circle and get the damned music to the people, which is, of course, Misantrof’s specialty, and as result we can now delve into the nasty, vitriolic racket of their early days.
The band have said that it’s ironic that they were aided in their quest to spread this demo further by Vrangsinn because Carpathian Forest have been such a formative influence on them, and “Bloodred Fullmoon” certainly reflects this in its rumbling, stomping, looseness – a frenzied stabbing which aims for death or glory rather than a cool and calculated assassination, and all the better for it. Profane Prayer have plenty of mean riffs, plenty of pace, plenty of ‘UGH!’… if it wouldn’t be unladylike to point this out…fuck it… Profane Prayer have plenty of great big BALLS.
These protuberances are much in evidence in the pathologically anti-social riff at the heart of “Sorrow”, and again play a part in making “Pain is Taking Shape” an irresistibly groovy, unspeakably filthy slice of black’n’roll simplicity. Despite the snarling harshness of the vocals, these tracks end up being decidedly catchy, and while they don’t re-write any unholy bibles, they switch direction and pace often enough to be endlessly satisfying on repeated listens. Their charm is in that very same rebellious, unapologetic obnoxiousness that makes Carpathian Forest so endearing.
“Bloodred Fullmoon” is worth your time on the basis that it’s a gloriously snotty collection of ripping, noisy black metal, but also because it introduces you to Profane Prayer properly, and given that they’ve since massively sharpened and polished their sound, adding way more depth and far more personal touches but remaining relentlessly, well, horrible, you’re going to want to get to know them. Even if they couldn’t give a fuck about you.
70/100
Ellen Simpson
Original Review:
http://hierophant-nox.com/issue15/profanereview.htm
Additional Information
Download “Bloodred Fullmoon”: http://profaneprayer.misantrof.net/
MySpace: www.myspace.com/profaneprayer
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profaneprayer
ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/profaneprayer
Misantrof : http://misantrof.net
