Album Review: CO2 [Camera Obscura Two] – D.Ö.D. (Selfmadegod Records)

CO2 [Camera Obscura Two] will release D.Ö.D. on February 12th 2021 via Selfmadegod Records. A recollection of all CO2’ crucial tunes purposely re-recorded and put together for this release.

An invasive assault of death metal with hardcore and grind tendencies, CO2’s D.Ö.D. works perfectly as two things. One being a collection of re-recorded tracks for the hardcore faithful to sink their teeth into. The other being an introduction to their savage sound for those unfamiliar with them.

Whichever side you find yourself on, you’re sure to come away feeling very satisfied by the destructive nature of this record. The first couple of tracks; My Ways Are Not Your Ways, To Bleed to Feel Alive and Stalked by the Eye of No God are furiously short and sharp blasts of noise.

The heat is turned up a notch for Need for Limited Loss though, the first track to pass the 4-minute mark. Where CO2 begin to stretch their death metal muscles in gleeful fashion and with just a touch of showing off. As is their prerogative when they’re delivering such a beastly head-banger.

It’s back to the short bursts of molten heat with (She’s) the Enemy and The Bitterest Drop (Part 1) before the not so [hidden track] has CO2 taking their cues from the olden days of metal. When hidden tracks were actually a regular feature and always preceded by long stretches of silence. Here, it’s not quite silence but rather low and eerie sounds (Silent Hill/Resident Evil style) for over 6 minutes. Intriguing if not a bit of a waste of time.

Especially as we then get two more tracks, from CO2 creator Alberto Penzin’s previous band, Schizo. Swamp Angel and Deathstress, two chunky and violent hits of death metal that ensures the album goes out with a bang rather than whimper.

CO2 [Camera Obscura Two] – D.Ö.D. Full Track Listing:

1. My Ways Are Not Your Ways
2. To Bleed to Feel Alive
3. Stalked by the Eye Of No God
4. Need for Limited Loss
5. (She’s) The Enemy
6. The Bitterest Drop (Part 1)
7. [hidden track]
8. Swamp Angel (Originally written & performed by Schizo, Catania IT, 1997)
9. Deathstress (Originally written & performed by Schizo, Catania IT, 1987)

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