The Temple in the Underworld is where Root started to really move ahead with their unique take on extreme metal. The chaotic and unhinged nature of their first two albums was replaced by an epic feel and some really great songs.

The defining moment comes pretty quickly when Bog Boss starts singing at about the 1 minute 30 second mark. His voice is a big booming baritone that threatens to overwhelm everything in its path and probably would have if not for Blackie’s awesome riffs. By this time, with their third album, Root was even more difficult to categorize. There’s bits of thrash, death and black metal in the mix along with parts that are quite traditional but what really gives the band an edge is Big Boss’s vocals. There really is no one else out there in extreme metal that can sing, emote and even do spoken word pieces like this man.

Highlights include Casilda’s Song which is a bit of a fan favourite with Boss’s baritone being front and centre and the song having a memorable mid paced groove. The title song sounds like a moodier Bathory with Boss sounding a bit harsher and some really impressive drumming from Blackie before ending the song in a chaotic burst of speed that would have sat well on Hell Symphony. Aposiopesis is a slow and majestic epic that has as much in common with something like Alice in Chains as it does with extreme metal. My Name sees the band experimenting within an acoustic setting and pulling it off remarkably well.

Apart from Big Boss, the rest of the band too sounds in top form. While Boss surely found his footing on this album, it is the guitarists Blackie and Mr. DAN who really come to the party. Whether launching into massive grooves, thrash riffs or solos, this duo are always on the money and ably backed up by Evil on the drums who was making his debut with the band and does a terrific job with his less is more attitude.

There really isn’t a bad song here. The band pulled off quite an unbelievable transition from their chaotic black thrash to this epic new sound on Temple in the Underworld. They would go on to achieve far greater things in a few years time but Temple in the Underworld still stands as the band’s first truly great album.

Re-issue comes with 5 bonus tracks.

Label - I Hate

Year of Release - 2009