Ministros Del Santuario - Antidiabolical

You've heard them on numerous compilations.  You know that one of their members fronts the bands Encryptor and Sorrowstorm.  You've heard the world media hype this album for what seems like years now.  Hmmm..okay, maybe not that last one.  But it has seemed like years that we've heard that Ministros Del Santuario would be releasing a full length album instead of just individual songs on numerous compilations.  Well, the album is finally here and now you can hear a full disc from the band that claims to be the first Christian metal band in the history of Panama.

Musically, this death metal band has many influences and if you enjoy bands like Antidemon, Corpse, Encryptor, Secretion, and even older Mortification, then you may end up liking this.  The band, albeit with somewhat weak production, rages through twelve brutal, death metal songs, four live songs, and then the album ends with a new bonus track from Encryptor (drummer Phil Diez' death/grind project).  While the material here is some pretty decent, somewhat underground metal, I'd advise you to listen past the first song to really give this band a chance.  It is probably one of the weaker tracks on the album (especially in regards to production - it's very thin sounding) and doesn't seem to have the impact and thickness as, let's say...songs two and three and four, which find the band in much better form.  And hmmm...that guitar part in the first of "Musculo Cardiaco" sounds eerily similar to that Mortification song...ummm..I think it was called "The Majestic Order of Infiltration", or something like that.  It shows up again later in the song some, but it's slightly altered from the opening.  Cool song though.  The live songs on this disc are very bootleg quality and even though it's great to hear the band's live energy, these songs might be skip material on most listens to this disc.  It almost sounds like they were recorded at the end of a long tunnel and you're just hearing the echoes reverberating off the walls.  The ending song is a new track from Encryptor called "He Was Beheaded".  This track, while being pretty lengthy, has a decided grindcore feel to it with ultra low growling, blasting, and scorching guitars through most of the songs.  The production seems to be a step in the right direction though compared to some of Encryptor past work.

The 4-page, glossy CD booklet included has lyrics and a band history.  Not ground breaking by any means, but a decent first effort that has actually grown on me a little bit over numerous listens.

Rating: 60/100

Review By: Matt Morrow

Label: Rotting Records/Dysmorphic Records

Total Songs: 17

Total Time: 65:37

Tracklisting: 1. Encadencado, 2. El Antichisto, 3. Submerged in Fire, 4. Musculo Cardiaco, 5. Noche Podrida, 6. Antidiabolical, 7. Rasguno Mental, 8. Image of the Beast, 9. Restos Del Invasor, 10. Veintre Maligno, 11. Depresion Cronica, 12. A Simple Vista, 13. Encadenado (Live), 14. Noche Podrida (Live), 15. Depresion Cronica (Live), 16. Image of the Beast (Live), 17. He Was Beheaded.

Best Songs: 2, 3, 4, & 17.

Band Lineup: Pablo Moran - Guitars, Hein Hobein - Guitars, Elias Perez - Bass, Senaquerib - Vocals, Sibo - Vocals, Felipe Diez - Drums.

Band Website: http://www.ministros.tk