Sinister’s debut Cross the Styx from 1992 is a semi-classic and the Dutchmen’s 1993 follow-up Diabolical Summoning is another death metal germ. From thereon Sinister has had its share of line-up problems and as a result the band has put out albums of varying quality. The band even broke up after the 2003 album Savage and Grace, but reformed in 2005. The latest effort The Silent Howling is among their best. The band does not try to reinvent death metal all over again, but it’s easy to detect some growth in the bands style. The music draws on a variety of different elements. The four-piece combine the brutal with melody and some big fat chunky grooves.

There’s a good balance in the songs – the riffs are good and never tends to be anonymous or get boring. Also it doesn’t hurt that the bass is audible. The music has the right amount of consistency to be interesting. Most of the songs are six minutes or longer, but opposite to earlier they don’t feel drawn out or boring. The band blasts a lot, but they do also slow down and go for some groovy middleparts. That among other things makes the music catchy and vigorous. The Silent Howling is not an effort where only one or two songs tend to be good. Every song is able to capture interest. The Silent Howling is a grower and an effort that proves Sinister is a band that is far from burnt out.