Quo Vadis - Day Into Night (2000)

 

Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Death Metal
Style: Technical Death Metal
Label Number: HYP1077
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 2000 Hypnotic Records
Review by "Jason" for Metal Reviews.com

If you live in Montreal and are a frequent spectator at metal shows it’s almost certain that you’ve either seen or heard of Quo Vadis. Their brand of fiery melo-death has captivated enough fans here in Quebec to have made them a household name for local metalheads. Before Day into Night, Quo Vadis’s music could have easily been categorized as your standard, run of the mill, Death-Metal band whose sound was dominated by blast beats and incomprehensible grunts. A line-up change and four years later, Quo Vadis emerged headstrong with Day into Night, whose changed sound, power, and intensity rightfully earned them a title as one of the most prominent Metal bands in all Quebec.

In four years, Quo Vadis transformed from semi-melodic death/grind band into a blazing and thrashy melodeath act. Virtually every aspect of their music improved as Arie Itman exchanged his incomprehensible bellows for a higher and more energetic rasp, and Yanic Bercier unleashed the full potential of his astonishingly fast and technical drumming abilities.

The album dives right into destruction with the blisteringly fast track titled Absolution (Element of the Ensemble III) and is immediately followed by Dysgenics, whose video can be viewed on their album Passage in Time. Much like the two previous tracks, Hunter/Killer follows the same vein of speed and technicality through chain-gun sounding double pedals and concrete riffs. Bercier pounds his bass drums relentlessly while fiddling on his cymbals and executing some killer rolls and passes that would impress even the biggest critics. The track flows seamlessly through beat changeups and guitar solos and is complimented by Itman’s distinct howling rasp that seems to fit perfectly amongst the barrage of solid riffs and guitar solos.

Day into Night also features some purely instrumental tunes that are surely influenced by Death’s musical mastery. Though not comparable to Schuldiner’s work, Quo Vadis execute some great instrumental tunes that are a nice twist away from the brutality, allowing your neck to rejuvenate from all of the head banging. With its plodding yet technical sound, Dream is definitely the tune in which the distinct Death sound stands out the most.

Though this release packs a huge punch of intense neck braking metal, there is a small flaw. After a complete listen, it isn’t difficult to realize some that some of the riffs sound recycled and some of the melodies stylistically similar to other tunes on the album. While I’m not saying that the album is repetitive, I’m also not saying that there won’t be moments that you’ll be asking yourself “Wait a sec, that riff sounds familiar”. The best examples of this are the intros to Point of No Return I: Mute Requiem and Absolution (Element of the Ensemble I).

Just the sheer intensity of day into night is enough for me to say that this is an album worth purchasing. Playing this disc on a powerful stereo at home will make the walls shake and your head bang until one of them eventually gives way.

After yet another line change up, Quo Vadis have completed their new and overdue album titled To the Bitter End which should be released later this year. With Itman and Remy Beauchamp no longer in the band it will be interesting to see if Quo Vadis’s sound will once again deviate from its previous releases. If you ask me, chances of big change are high considering Itman was a significant lyrical and musical contributor and that Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Control Denied, Iced Earth, Sadus) will be supporting the bass on Quo’s next album. In the meantime, check out Day into Night, and make sure to PLAY IT LOUD.

tags: quo vadis, day into night, 2000, flac,