Escutcheon - Battle Order

When you realise that this collective has been going since 1996 and still is hardly known at all, it might be time to tackle this issue seriously.

They probably thought the same at Escutcheon. Armed with a new line-up, fresh logo and cooperation with Deity Down Records they have set the pace. And I must say that the first impressions are good, the professional logo and artwork on their latest venture are worth being seen! Now let’s talk music.

According to themselves Escutcheon plays death metal, in particular a variation on the Gothenburg sound. A very distant one, in my opinion. A death grunt does not make it death metal and the really melodic guitar sounds don’t justify the banner death metal either.

It is that sound that makes Escutcheons album into one that is easy on the ears. The song writing does give away that we are dealing with a pure Dutch band. All kinds of styles do pass me. I hear bits of Orphanage and Excision.

The really easy flowing vocal lines make it all sound so very neat, at least for a death metal band (a typical Dutch flaw, as we are such a civilized country). Thankfully the pedal is put to the metal regularly as well, they do occasionally fly off the handle, especially compared to their older songs. On Battle Order Escutcheon have drifted further from the Gothenburg sound. If it were up to me, I would advise them to keep drifting, as the more aggressive style does make me want to hear more of it.

It also fits better with the strong vocals on this record, heavy and alternating with very loud outbursts. The best songs on the album are The Dead Of Tomorrow (nice chorus) and the closer Dimensions Crossed (a pure no nonsense song). Unfortunately Battle Order not only has good songs with head and tail, but some fillers as well.

Especially the guitar parts aren’t going anywhere on those. If this line up can stick together, they can give the music the right dimensions (more aggression/less melody). I see a positive future for Escutcheon, as they certainly have the potential.

7.3

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