The Royal Blood - _Incantation of the Queen_
by: Pedro Azevedo (2 out of 5)
How easy it is to perceive the highly significant (not to say determinant) influence that Cradle of Filth have in everything The Royal Blood play. Vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums, all sound (well, try to sound) like Cradle of Filth. Had they succeeded in that attempt, then this demo might even have been interesting, despite never original (recall Hecate Enthroned); the problem is that most is just poorly performed, to the extent that it all just sounds like what it really is: a poor amateur version of CoF. The very poor production doesn't help them at all either. The only thing that did surprise me in this demo was the vocalist: he managed to perform Dani-like high-pitched vocals better than I expected (but monotonously and nowhere near the original), yet completely failed to perform acceptable death grunts. A few reasonable moments save The Royal Blood from an even lower rating, but this demo is simply mediocre and they will have to improve very significantly in the future.

Contact: The Royal Blood, a/c Sergio Sousa

(article published 13/4/1998)

9/1/1998 P Azevedo Buried Alive / Lacrima / The Royal Blood / Imortalis Portuguese Radiation

