DISMEMBER - Live Blasphemies

(Escapi Entertainment - 2004)

Not one with a great experience of reviewing live DVDs/videos, I still find it a piece of p*** once I get down to it. Sweden's top death metal act Dismember know how to keep it short but sweet, this eleven-song set on their home turf clocking in at about 50-60 minutes but when it's music as relentless and uncompromising as this, you're quite willing to pardon its brevity.

Looking at the band onstage, their frontman seems to suffer from some stage presence difficulties or it might be that he just finds it more comfortable standing in the centre, one hand on the mike, all the time, which stays mounted on the stand throughout whilst the twin guitarists to and fro, headbanging literally endlessly in the trademark manner, only stopping fro breathers between numbers.

Accompanied by a few other bits n' bobs of interest, the DVD, whilst the editing is quite basic but with a top quality picture, is a solid piece of entertainment for extreme metal aficionados alike and an opportunity to enjoy the intense atmosphere of such an evening from the comfort of their own living room.

A loud view indeed. Recommended.

9/10

By Dave Attrill