Every so often, an independently released CD (usually a CD-R, actually) with a homemade front insert and no back insert will cross my desk. Such is the case with Cea Serin's The Surface of All Things, which arrived without even a track listing. Thanks to snippets of information derived from a variety of websites, all I know is that the band consists of two guys from Louisiana who've recorded previous demos. Nevertheless, the four songs here — three, if you discount the brief opening instrumental — hold a lot of promise.
I have no idea whether these tracks are demos, cuts from a forthcoming album or simply a four-song EP. But with what sounds like two distinct male vocalists, they are certainly intriguing. One voice comes off clean and warm; the other borders on death/black-metal growls. This combination is Cea Serin's standard formula, which works best on the final track — featuring multiple vocals, tribal drums, dramatic guitars and mesmerizing keyboards.
The clean production merits attention, the songs are firmly rooted in European metal traditions, and the album's overall impact offers strong evidence that Cea Serin may be on to something here. Now, if only these dudes could improve their marketing skills …
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