REVIEWS
Kogaionon no.9 - III
TAOS (FRA)-"Darkness Dealer" CD'03
(7 tracks, 35. 27 min)
(SACRAL)
This time Sacral disappointed me because here is nothing special coming from his trio but a brutal primitive and a creaky background, it is about a so-called Cult Black Metal! Well, this style simply doesn't ring any bell to me especially when I talk about new bands! I really don't see the point of starting a new band and then playing something already experimented by others long time ago... in a more brutal manner: DARK THRONE, MAYHEM or BURZUM. Perhaps this is dedicated solely to the nostalgic people who loved the type!
THE BEAT OF BLACK WINGS (GER)-"Kontemplation " CD'03
(19 tracks, 78. 47 min)
Dark Instrumental Music for meditation! This is the statement Eric Schurmann, the band's leader made. Right after an album officially released at a German label, the band tried to find a more attractive offer for a new composition. This is why we can enjoy now this very compilation. To be more precise, this is a collection of old and new tracks, a kind of bridge between the beginning sound and the actual one. I must admit I really enjoyed listening to this material even if all tracks are so different one from each other. Beside an abundant keyboard, there are a cold impressive male voice and a female one, which gives colour to the whole given atmosphere, male choirs, violin, guitars and a beautiful flute! This is an intriguing music, which deserves our future attention!
www.the-beat-of-black-wings.de
THE BEYOND (ROM)-"Noise Pollution" CDR'02
(15 tracks, 63. 43 min)
The Romanian scene is poor and poorer in Dark Ambient Industrial projects and I know none to be mentioned here beside THY VEILS. Radu Craciunica has the ambition of bringing up an interesting debut, pretty long one, based on a computerized sound featuring a mixture of Ambient, Noise and Industrial. I find here some medieval frames or even military marches... all in a very futurist shape! This material did not strike me but neither disappointed me! For a debut, I think it is OK, for an Industrial sound... there is much to work at... but let's wait and see what happens on the second material, which is in progress, as I understood. thebeyondproject@hotmail.com
THE HOUSE OF USHER (GER)-"Inferno/L'enfer" CD'03
(13 tracks, 78. 58 min)
(EQUINOXE)
Gothic Rock in a classical elegant manner... very rhythmic and full of energy but definitely not Dark. I think a resemblance with HIM or The 69 EYES is desired. Hmmmm, I wouldn't be that sure about that, but probably thanks to the excessively commercial rhythm... there might be found some convergences and maybe the five musicians could be in concurrence and competition in the same time with the bands up mentioned. During the ten years of activity, the band succeeded to play/sustain live performances in various famous Gothic locations in Europe and I believe that their fourth album shall have the same success both in live performances and as a studio product. The last track, "Die Hoelle", actually is a radio-play making reference to "L'enfer" novel, recited on two voices (male ones) but unfortunately... in German only.
www.the-house-of-usher.de
THE GATHERING (HOL)-"Souvenirs" CD'03
(8 tracks, 49. 51 min)
(THE END)
Is there anyone not to know about this band? During the time, the Dutch musicians had changed the sound, direction and look over and over again so that I find at least difficult to say if they ever played Metal tunes. What they come to point out now it is called Alternative Rock/Triprock, a strange mixture of both organic and electronic sounds with serious hues of psychedelic echoes, perhaps a Trip-Hop with Space-Rock influences. Anneke's voice is as strong and passionate as ever and I must confess that the experience of collaboration with Trickster G (ULVER) in the last track is at least inedited. People say this must be the best album of the five musicians. Well, for a pub music and atmosphere, the new tracks seem just perfect, no objection about that! The shy shadows of Dark seem to hardly face the new tendency and, once again, THE GATHERING makes the proof the band has quitted that peculiar underground spirit, the one which made them famous. There might be a subjective nostalgia that keeps me immune to new alternative sonorities but I wouldn't know for sure! What I know is that the music didn't disturb anyone around me while playing but again... it didn't strike either!
THE KOVENANT (NOR)-"S.E.T.I" CD'03
(12 tracks, 67. 36 min)
(NUCLEAR BLAST)
One of the most avant-gardes bands on the Metal scene, which seems to have decided to leave the dark tough underground orientation exploring now new commercial territories more appreciated and consumed these days. Otherwise, THE KOVENANT has offered, during the years, various albums, starting with the brilliant "In Times Before The Light" or an inspired "Nexus Polaris" and an electro Black Metal album such as "Animatronic". Re-printing the debut of last year, under Hammerheart label, provides a modern sound, with synthetizer, various effects and distorted voices. The new album seems to have as basis solely "Animatronic" album, while the effects resemble with the re-mastering of the debut. The Cyber element, mixed with electro frames of avant-garde, simply masters the whole sound, while spatial atmospheric passages or oriental or even Power Metal, Punk and Funk influences often interrupt the explosive rhythm. The staccato rhythm tends to unveil a new face of the Norwegians' music, clear, sober voices merely remind of DEPECHE MODE at the same time as the distorted and aggressive ones seem to communicate in a weird manner with a resonant keyboard and various female vocals passing from opera, melodic until tribal or Byzantine profiles. The album is for sure very well conceived and performed, having probably as target fans of EBM or even LAIBACH. From the Metallic perspective, "S.E.T.I." is a Disco-Electro-Power parody, a little funny and explosive, discharging a fantastic energy. What I can say for sure is that the synth/keyb dimensions are amazing and the guitars' riffs, although vindictive and noisy, plainly offer to the listener a unique and dynamic mood. From a different point of view, this album could be a challenge for those who are looking for a change, freshness or tricky rhythms. However, I am not attracted to such sonorities... on the contrary... I find them rather puerile and simplistic but THE KOVENANT actually proved me that I could listen to an album for more than 3 consecutively days. Either I became one of them... or the album really deserves more than subjective critics... I would not know for sure! Nevertheless, the band has nothing in common with -indulgently said- the Metallic one! It is rather too soft for the Black people and too noisy for the Electro camp... Yet, it is a challenge and it is worth it!
THE MEADS OF ASPHODEL ( UK )-"Exhuming The Grave Of Yeshua" CD'03
(11 tracks, 61. 13 min)
(SUPERNAL)
The second album of these English actually shocked me indeed! If we take a look at it, from a stylistic perspective...I have no doubts in telling it is out of any comparison and definitely one of a kind! As far as the execution is regarded, there is no reproach to be made! About the sound... well, would it be Black Metal or not?! I think it is rather too knotty and out of any patterns to be labeled that easy...! From time to time I can hear some solos of progressive guitars, traditional Oriental touches, imposing clear voices... followed by primitive guitars and angry screaming vocals on a sick noisy and confusing background. Perhaps it is an album surpassing any sphere of imagination... more than an Avantgarde one... in lack of classical valences... Thus I find difficult to frame it somewhere... but I definitely wouldn't say Black Metal! This is a real challenge and I believe you should try it by all means... at least because of curiosity! As an inconvenient I would mention that the stylistic variety may risk to confuse the listener and thus to finally lose him on the way!
THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK (USA)-"Mirror Of The Middle Ages" CD'04
(12 tracks, 50. 12 min)
(THE FOSSIL DUNGEON)
The Riddick brothers have reprinted the sixth album on CD with a spectacular but decent artwork. It is very hard not to recognize TSBB once you listened to in the past! The medieval atmosphere you entered by listening to it... drags you out of all surroundings... It is about archaic elements, calm voices, folk passages... which generate an elevated aura with deep roots in a Renaissance past or in Dark Ages... It is an album dedicated especially to all fans devoted to such sonorities! For all the rest, it might be solely an experience awaking some interest and at most respect!
www.soilbleedsblack.com
THE VISION BLEAK (GER)-s/t MCD'03
(2 tracks, 10. 04 min)
(PROPHECY)
Oh my god, what power adrenaline and dynamism! This Dark Rock project belonging to EMPYRIUM's leader seems to break all tops and this is a certified position since the two tracks enclosed in this very single are just amazing and fascinating! Electro, Rock, Dark, Horror, Atmospheric... situated right between the limits of Metal and Rock or maybe... DEPECHE MODE or SISTERS OF MERCY! What could be more provocative than to listen to DEPECHE MODE in a Metal version? I am keen to listen to their debut, really interested in it and I recommend you not to miss it either!
www.the-vision-bleak.de
THE WAKE (FIN) -"Ode To My Misery" CD'03
(10 tracks, 41. 54 min)
(SPIKEFARM)
This is just another band coming from Finish Metal factory! Having some guiding lines in old AMORPHIS and in the fastness of CHILDREN OF BODOM, the four musicians point up now a fresh album, very explosive, with plenty melodious parts, all framed in that Black/Death Metal used by hundreds bands. Isn't it obvious enough? Let's make it: Heavy Speed Metal riffs, a drum machine in flames, grave bass, and screamed antagonistic vocals and... that would be almost all they can. Sincerely, I am fed up with so many Melodic Death Metal clones! Gentlemen, please, come up with some innovation as well! It is not enough to perform an excellent execution... at least not for me! If we need to be more indulgent, I think we could accept that it is about an encouraging debut belonging to four talented musicians who are first of all devoted to a style already too exploited and too much spoken about! !
www.the-wake.com .
THYRANE (FIN)-"Hypnotic" CD'03
(10 tracks, 50. 47 min)
(SPIKEFARM)
The four Finns come back in forth with a new material full of various Metal influences and some Black Metal as well. The keyboard grants an avant-garde note while the guitars focus on Heavy Metal. The Black vocals remind me that THYRANE still is both an angry and serious band. Since the synth parts are performed by a female, Mannamari, you can imagine what an atmospheric note it gives to the sound not to mention that the Space/Electro effects actually send me to a kind of more dynamic and rhythmic THE KOVENANT. In other words, the Power shades sometimes dominate the sound yet the Black Metal persists in the same bombastic and expressive profile. This is an album extremely well elaborated but nothing more or less.
TO/DIE/FOR (FIN)-"Jaded" CD'03
(10 tracks, 44. 00 min)
(SPINEFARM)
HIM phobia is pretty outlined all over the Europe and specially in Finland . Perhaps this is the reason why many bands dream on a career as "bright" as HIM's but turn out to accept a compromise. That is to give up to some elementary notions of extreme Metal in favour to those commercial, rhythmic and danceable ones. If the voice happens to be sensual as well, lightly baritone but clear, then... the chickens should fall back while the "machos"... could bend! Well, I don't know...I am not keen to write about these styles because I find them superficial and "built on getting our money from the pocket". If I say as well that the Finns have on each of the there albums at least a couple of covers, then it is absolutely clear what target they have. Therefore, we have here Gothic Rock/Metal and in abundance Pop as well, starting with HIM and ending with THE 69 EYES. It is excellent for driving, audition in a pub but not recommended while home and alone within the four walls! The band's fans sustain this is the best and most inspired; frankly I found all of three albums pretty much the same. Or maybe this is more Disco than the others... yes, this might be the difference!
www.todieforlove.com
TOMORROW'S EVE (GER)-"Mirror Of Creation" CD'03
(13 tracks, 70. 22 min)
(SOURCE OF DELUGE)
What I heard here has nothing to do with the Metal music I usually promote/review and I must confess Power Progressive Metal is a too "lightened" style for my tastes. All who gravitate around DREAM THEATRE can have a try with this project: it is the second album of the band, full of atmosphere, intense keyboards, elaborated guitars, classical Progressive vocals and very long good tracks. Well it is obvious, they are very skillful with the instruments... but unfortunately, this is not my cup of tea.
www.tomorrows-eve.de
TORTURE KILLER (FIN)-"For Maggots to Devour" CD'03
(9 tracks, 34. 29 min)
(KARMAGEDDON MEDIA)
This is just another band born too late! How many Death Metal bands can actually be in this world? And how come that they succeed to receive offer of such calibre! I admit that such combination of OBITUARY and MACABRE, in a Finnish version, sounds absolutely fine but there is still no new element or authentic, nothing to build an identity that could delineate it from the army of common bands! The only element that might get speculated in this situation might be the origin of this band, Finland, and... it is true, it is a little uncommon for a Nordic band to put in a Nordic version a sound resembling to DEICIDE, MORTICIAN, IMPALED, NILE or CANNIBAL CORPSE! But otherwise, I'd say it is an album of "wear and tear", which probably shall receive lots of great appraisal in the Death Metal magazines but which might get forgotten very fast.
www.torture-killer.cjb.net
TRISTITIA (SWE)-" Garden Of Darkness " CD'03
(9 tracks, 58. 22 min)
(HOLY)
Galvez and his team stay in the same lent depressive Doom Death Dark Metal with funeral tents and long-lasting guitar riffs. If eight years ago the debut was a real amazing surprise, now, TRISTITIA brings forward a pale album, in lack of freshness, pretty resembling with the previous materials and with rather no major differences. Even the male vocals are now consumed and with no energy and I might say that the only positive thing that happened here is Luis B. Galvez' Heavy classic guitar. This is a package of new tracks but the truth is that, in shape and essence, they simply are in the old style. This is a pity, I do believe that TRISTITIA's road ends right here. At least as far as I am concerned...
TRONUL ASCUNS (ROM)-"Astrele Danseaza" demo CD'03
(10 tracks, 43. 06 min)
In a previous issue I have written about this project and I remember that the entire characterization was a little bit confused. This time Lucian Olteanu comes out with the best material he ever conceived, both in concept and execution! I still consider a tremendous loss not to have voice included as I think such would provide a personal and proper sound. Well, it is again Ambient with fragile touches of Neo Industrial delicately wrapped in a Dark silhouette with awkward rhythms... sometimes staccato ones. "Tron peste abis" (Throne over the Abyss) is a very long track (appreciatively 9 minutes) of a certain elegance and indeed different from the others. I think I wouldn't be wrong if saying there are touches of ARCANA, RAISON D' ETRE or other projects from CMI yet the most important thing is that the sound is more intelligible and perhaps more attractive that what I have listened so far. The booklet contains some extremely appealing sketches/drawings!
http://tronulascuns.kos.ro
http://www.myspace.com/tronulascuns
TVANGESTE (RUS) -"Firestorm" CD'03
(8 tracks, 44. 43 min)
(WORLD CHAOS)
This is finally something to "feed" my soul! And I am not speaking necessarily about audition only but as concept and execution while the inspiration is at its most! Orchestration Black Metal! What could be more serious than a collaboration of some young musicians devoted to extreme Metal tunes with symphonic orchestras or professional classic choirs!? Even if this is not quite unique on the Metal scene, this album has a certain charm and the classical or even the symphonic touches weight more than expected in TVANGESTE's sound economy. If the debut album insists as well on Epic Doom Death Metal sequences, the new material is focused solely on bombastic Black Metal full of atmosphere and Epic echoes yet featuring as well demonic vocals as in CRADLE OF FILTH manner. The contrast comes from those superb choirs who give such amazing sobriety and a certain value to Metal music so that the final result is really great! If I really intend to be a nasty character, I'd say that the Classic/Metal harmony is not that well balanced but I am sure that my ears as well must become acquainted with such mixing and approaches! This surely is a reference album for modern Black Metal and I advice you not to miss it!
www.tvangeste.com
TYRANNY (FIN)-"Bleak Vistae" MCD'04
(3 tracks, 44. 42 min)
(FIREBOX)
Funeral Doom Metal in superlative terms! WINTER, SKEPTICISM, DISEMBOWELMENT...they are all in one, into a sinister sound with such a mesmerizing piano than even the dead may rise from the grave, a sick throaty voice and extremely slow and depressive guitars. The slow rhythm is outlined by a lethargic battery following an extremely weird beat... like wandering in a dark place where no sign of life dwells! When I think about it... and realize it is just a debut MCD of the two Finns... I get scared of what may follow! Most certainly, fans of such sonorities will feed their egos with such outcome, which seems to never end... Well, this is the weak point: too long and common tracks even if the atmosphere is simply specific to such type of music! After two consecutive auditions I actually lost my patience! I really would need a certain special mood for such as otherwise I would start looking for a knife to cut my veins! Uhhhh!
UHRILEHTO (FIN)-"Vitutus Millennium" CD'03
(11 tracks, 52. 27 min)
(SCHWARZDORN)
The signing with Cold Blood Industries was not the most successful one... therefore the four musicians opt for the German label for the second album! It is so painful to discover day by day bands that have nothing in common with originality and I find a little too lingering and boring to listen and review the same Dark Black Metal pattern. Although the sound is an atmospheric one, with abundant keyboard and extremely melodic guitars, an aggressive linear voice there is practically nothing else to bring a shade of novelty to this musical style. It is just a fashionable album, in lack of inspiration but executed with passion. Should it be sufficient?
http://uhrilehto.cjb.net
ULVER (NOR)-"A Quick Fix Of Melancholy" CD'03
(4 tracks, 23. 09 min)
(THE END)
Garm proves one again he is a real maestro with instruments and in vocalizing! Even if the actual synthetic sound has nothing to do with what ULVER used to perform, the music now is, in fact, a kind of soundtrack, well dimensioned and uniformly distributed in the tracks' length. Garm's opera voice is indeed amazing on "Vowels", which is the most bombastic sequence of the EP! I'd say that even "Little Blue Bird" tries to preserve something from the up mentioned one yet the dynamics is focused on acoustic touches. "Doom Sticks" doesn't impress by melodiousness but rather by effects and noises while "Eitttlane" is actually a remixed track from "Kveldssanger" album in 1995. This is a strange, sinister music but elegant! It is a pity that the material is too succinct!
www.jester-records.com
UNMOORED (SWE)-"Indefinite Soul-Extension" CD'03
(8 tracks, 45. 37 min)
(CODE666)
I remember that the first two albums released at Pulverized Records meant not too much for me although it was about a Death Metal well executed. Once signing a new contract The Swedes have changed a bit their orientation, something which might be seen either good or bad. If good: besides a brutal aggressive Swedish Death Metal we have here some super-melodic elements even Progressive ones in OPETH manner. IF bad: all transitions from violence to melody are rather too brutal inducing a state of an album framed in two distinct parts by using the already classical system "copy-paste"... I find hard to say more about this album... finally I think it is an album of transition! The musical aptitudes of the three are remarkable...but nothing else!
www.unmoored.com
UNSILENCE (UK) -"A Walk Through Oceans'03
(4 tracks, 30. 31 min)
( GOLDEN LAKE )
This is another band with more than 10 years of activity but a humble discography in the background. If I am not mistaken this should be the second MCD of the band. The five British musicians light into a classical Doom Metal with Rock touches falling into CANDLEMASS, CATHEDRAL or SERENADE dimensions. The clear voice is in tandem with prolonged guitar riffs, the battery is not that fast while the keyboard simply brings colour to a sound which is rather sad peaceful and atmospheric. It is something pretty familiar 15 years ago but which, in time, faded and got lost by all means. From a different perspective, the four tracks are rather long but indeed can stand for good outcome.
www.unsilence.co.uk
VED BUENS ENDE... (NOR)-"Written In Waters" CD'03
(9 tracks, 57. 12 min)
(CANDLELIGHT)
This is a new reprint of a marvellous album. The avant-garde and Black Metal mixture they created many years ago is still a trial for many musicians. If Misanthropy was the label who made famous bands such as BURZUM , IN THE WOODS... or MONUMENTUM by that time... well, you can imagine then the impact of this release. It is one of the best extreme Metal albums so far and this new booklet makes available for you the lyrics as well plus a few, VERY FEW technical details. Anyway, this is a piece of collection and other supplementary details are meaningless!
(29.06)
VINTERSORG (SWE)-"The Focusing Blur" CD'04
(12 tracks, 53. 55 min)
(NAPALM)
The fifth album is even more knotty and weirder than the previous ones all together! Having many common points with the previous sequences released in 2002, the new material features as special guests two famous musicians: Asgeir Mickelson and Steve Di Giorgio thus the final sound is simply exceptional! If the first three albums could be framed somewhere in a Folk Metal, well... the fourth was just a bridge to this one, which is without doubt, a veritable sample of Metal. I wouldn't know if Heavy, Progressive, Folk or Atmospheric Metal! The clear voice reminds me of YES and the melodic passages sound so Rock that you couldn't come to admit VINTERSORG would be a Metal band! The truth is that the keyboard is handled with such a fine grace (making clear references to the 70's music) and the psychedelic elements... all together... come to impress me. And after that, there are obvious extreme and aggressive Metal progressions, with brutal vocals... coming over you... and they leave you perplex. It is an overwhelming album like an invitation to a unique imaginary world, encompassing various stylistic elements of a great complexity. It is by far the best release Mr. Vintersorg ever had and throughout such he proves there are no stylistic borders or limits in music and it finally is a comprehensible proof that evolution means and equals to change! If we compare this product solely to the previous album, then we might say that these 12 new tracks are more melodic, more peaceful and Progressive. It is a first rate sample of Metal, which may not impress the fans since there is not pattern for such... and no standard in Metal for these musicians to respect or follow! And, frankly, it cannot be compared with any other band ever! They trespassed all Metal boundaries ever existed...
www.vintersorg.com
