Lacrimas Profundere - Songs For the Last View (album chronic)

Band: Lacrimas Profundere
Years Active: 1993 - present (18 years)
Genre: Gothic Metal (early), Death/Doom (early), Gothic Rock (mid and later career)
Origin; Germany
Label: Napalm Records
Current Line-Up: Oliver Nikolas Schmid (guitars), Rob Vitacca (vocals), Tony Berger (guitars), Korl Fuhrmann (drums)

You guys might think, based on a first impression, that this band is actually a H.I.M. or The 69 Eyes or Sentenced rip-off. I do agree a little bit but only when it comes to looks and some specific musically traits. Lacrimas Profundere, same like the bands I mentioned above plays a gothic rock style which unlike other genres, it does not bring much differences. The style is sort of monotone, the bands even though they emerged early or later, you can feel that they are the same but at the same time you cannot call them rip-offs. If musically they feel the same, story wise, it does not.

Lacrimas Profundere in their early years were playing a more underground metal style. Gothic metal and Death/Doom metal were the genres that they played during their early albums, changing later to a genre that brought them fame, gothic rock.

I don't want to make comparisons between H.I.M. and LP but, if I were to, I would say that I dun like H.I.M. as much as I enjoyed LP. LP has that little something that H.I.M. does not have, they manage to convey their feelings through the story portrayed in the songs. They name their genre "rock 'n sad" mainly because the main themes they use for their songs are sorrow, love, sadness, melancholy, ups and downs of couple life, betrayal, everything that enters within the meaning of the word sad, characterizes the style of LP.

By far, the masterminds behind this extraordinary band are the Schmid brother, Oliver and Christopher. However, after the release of their 8th studio album "Filthy Notes for Frozen Hearts", Christopher left the band dew to stage-induced stress however he continued to be the lyricist for the band. Between 2005 and 2007, Oliver replaced all of the former band members coming up with a completely new line-up, having Rob Vitacca as the front man.

Rob Vitacca's style of singing is slightly different but not by far from what Christopher had. "Songs for the Last View" reminds us of the old Sisters of Mercy albums when they were at the peak of their glory. With melancholic sounds and atmospheric influences, this album proved to be worth listening at least and quite enjoyable.

The album begins with the pulse of a heartbeat and ends the same way. The concept of this album is based on the life of a rockstar. To be more specific, it resembles the moment when all your life become like a movie, when you are giving your last breath. We all know from other people that when you are having your last moments of being alive, all the things you've done in your life will come to your mind. I described it as a fast movie. However, if you want to know the end of it, don't worry, the protagonist will be revived during the last track of the album "While".


It's kind of unusual for me to start a review with the last song of the album, but I think I had to. It begins with an intro called "The Last View" which sets the stage for the next song called "A Pearl" which also features a video. We rarely hear female voices in LP's songs but fortunately, this album features a female voice in the 3rd track "The Shadow I once Kissed".

All of their songs represent a passage or a chapter of the story. The 4th track, "Veins" features an amazing guitar solo while the 5th song "We Shouldn't Be Here" has a more electronic influence which can be heard at the beginning of the song. But only at the beginning because after that it is shattered with explosive guitar and drum solos which in my opinion, makes it one of the best songs this album has.

The 6th track "And God's Ocean" is in my opinion, the best track from this album and maybe, the best track that they could come up in all of their works. Unlike the other songs, this one is a ballad and it also features a video. This song is superbly creating a melancholic atmosphere combined with the anger which can be felt throughout the lyrics.

"Suicide Sun" the 7th track of the album talks about compromises and sacrifices that a couple can encounter in life while "Dear Amy" the 8th track is like a cruel respond to the one that could not comprehend the efforts and feelings conveyed through the 7th track of the album.


"A Dead Man", the 9th track of this album depicts the condition of a man that had his love denied. This is the second ballad from this album and it features mainly vocals and keyboards.


"Sacrificial Lamb" and "Lullaby for a Weeping Girl" follows the same pattern that the other songs depicted while being a lot more heavier in style. "While", the last track represents the synthesis of this album combining distorted guitar riffs with melancholic piano solos and Wurm's drum beats and also Rob's clean vocals.

In conclusion, "Songs For the Last View" like any other album has pluses and minuses. Even though the death/doom or gothic metal style that they played a long time ago is long gone, I am satisfied the way LP is right now. I dislike the fact that growls are missing in this album which makes the clean vocals feel monotone from time to time. Some songs are way too similar with each other but it is compensated with splendid works such as A Pearl, We Shouldn't Be Here, And God's Ocean or Sacrificial Lamb.


It is not a masterpiece of this genre without a doubt, but rather an album that appeals to ears and hearts of all sorts. It is not an extreme bands nor an extreme genre so it's unlikely that this album will not make it outside of its own borders. What I like about it is that the spirit of Lacrimas Profundere is present throughout this album, despite the fact that they changed style and members many times. One thing I hate about is the kind of guys that complain about the current state of the band and compare it with their earlier works. An album in my opinion should not be compared with others but should be judged by its current state otherwise, minuses or pluses can be found easily while forgetting that in essence this is the same LP that we have known. Lets not forget, music is an art, not a game of tastes or a duel between past and present.

Note: This album features 4 Bonus Limited Edition Digipack Tracks.


Overall: 7.5

Track Listing: 

1.	"The Last View"	0:56
2.	"A Pearl"	3:00
3.	"The Shadow I Once Kissed"	3:22
4.	"Veins"	2:47
5.	"We Shouldn't Be Here"	3:32
6.	"And Gods Ocean"	5:37
7.	"Suicide Sun"	3:51
8.	"Dear Amy"	3:05
9.	"A Dead Man"	3:58
10.	"Sacrificial Lamb"	5:12
11.	"Lullaby for a Weeping Girl"	3:31
12.	"While"	5:15

Music: Bathory (Review)

And here I am, discussing, reviewing and pointing out one of the most important black metal bands that existed during the 80s. The name "Bathory" comes from the infamous Hungarian countess, Elizabeth Bathory who has been a big influence for many black metal bands and also for other metal artists as well. (wiki her if you want to know why)

For most of the time, Bathory was a 1 man band. The mastermind behind this band is a man nicknamed Quorthon (the man in the image above). Quorthon started this band as a project in the early 80s when he convinced his father to place his two recorded songs on a compilation. Surprisingly though, his songs attracted a lot of attention and in 1984, he released his first studio album, self-titled "Bathory". Even though Venom's 1982 album "Black Metal" is considered as the first hybrid black metal album, Bathory's albums, featured Satanic themes and lyrics, low production quality and an inhuman voice style (shrieked voice is the term used to describe the vocals in most early and later black metal bands) stuff that later will define most black metal albums and stand as an inspiration for the second wave of black metal bands in the 90s.

Although Bathory is Norwegian black metal band, many fans speculated the fact that Quorthon was inspired by Venom's earlier black metal album release for his works. However, he stated that he only started listening to Venom after he released his first full length album. He claimed that he was inspired by bands such as Black Sabbath or Motorhead.

After his self-titled album released in 1984, he released two more albums that remained true to the hybrid black metal style that he pioneered during his early carrier. In 1985, Quorthon recorded and released his 2nd studio album, "The Return...(Of Darkness and Evil)" which used a poem as an inspiration.

"When the sacred oath is broken
and the lie is spoken out loud
when the angel is POSSESSED
and the virgin is stolen her pride

When the flame of love and pureness
have turned to BESTIAL LUST
when the walls of gold in heaven
close in and turn to dust

When THE WIND OF MAYHEM whispers
through the vale of tears and death
when the golden river is empty
and the SADIST tear the angels' flesh

When the SON OF THE DAMNED strides the earth
and THE RITE OF DARKNESS is done
when the REVELATION OF DOOM comes closer
and the battle just begun

When the beauty is BORN FOR BURNING
and the TOTAL DESTRUCTION draws near
when the disciples under the sign of the black mark gathers
and the REAP OF EVIL is here

Then the clouds of death shall gather
then the night shall always burn
then the ancient prediction comes true
and the bells of fate chime
THE RETURN ......"

It was followed by the 1987 release of his 3rd studio album "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" which was considered as his last pure black metal album. With the release "Blood Fire Death" in 1988, it was noticed that the pace was slowed down which is said to be the initiation of another metal genre, known later as Viking Metal. However, even though some changes could be hinted in this album, the well known black metal traits are still present in it. Viking themes were also used in this album as well.

With the release of "Hammerheart" in 1990, Quorthon completely switched to the style that he himself created, Viking Metal. This album featured less aggressive lyrics, a more atmospheric sound. The lyrics deal with viking and Norse mythology but it did not abandon the anti-christian theme as well. These albums does not really show aggression or disgust towards Christianity but it depicts it as a perpetrator. This album especially depicts the christian influence when they set foot in the Norse lands which were pagan. The song "One Rode to Asa Bay" depicts the attitude of christians when they were starting to convert the Northern lands to their own religion and the reaction the locals had.

"Twilight of the Gods" released one year later in 1991 follows the same pattern that Hammerheart had with the same viking and Norse mythology and anti-christian themes. Quorthon once again changed style with the release of "Requiem" in 1994 and "Octagon". These albums abandoned the viking metal style that he played in the 5th and 6th album and embraced a retro-trash metal style. The 1996 of "Blood on Ice" featured a return to his viking metal style but was more like a transition which still featured retro-trash elements.

His 2001 album, "Destroyer of Worlds" same like Blood on Ice still featured transitional elements. His full return to the viking metal style was marked with the release of "Nordland I" in 2002 and "Nordland II" in 2003 which was supposed to be a 4 album saga projects but unfortunately, Quorthon did not live long enough to finish it.

In 2004, Quorthon was found dead in his apartment. He suffered heart failure. In 2006, Black Mark Records released a tribute album to Quorthon. It feature re-recordings of some of his best tracks from all his albums. It featured 3 CDs, 1 DVD with his first and last video for the song One Rode To Asa Bay and also some exclusive interviews, promo footage and a poster as well.

Bathory is viewed as one of the most important band on both the early black metal scene and also the band that created and pioneered the extreme genre known as viking metal. Many bands from the early 90s and the later years used Bathory's works as an influence for their own musical style.

 

Artmania Festival Day 2 (impressions)

And here we are with the last report of Artmania Festival. Keep in mind this is not a festival that presents so many bands like Wacken, Ozzfest or Hellfest, it's a small, rather new one but even so, a very organized one.

In day 1 we had Lacrimas Profundere, Helloween and Tarja Turunen as headliners however on day 2 we had Republica, an alternative rock band that uses electronic sounds (I felt like I went to disco with this one, clearly a very poor choice made by the organizers), Sonata Arctica, a symphonic power metal band from Finland and one of the most anticipated bands, Lacuna Coil, an Italian gothic alternative metal band.

Like I said, Republica was a big let-down. The biggest disappointment this concert. Not like they were bad in what they were doing but for a rock/metal festival, their presence was sort of uncommon and not too fitting. Their music is for pubs, clubs and stuff like that or maybe parties, it fits more in the disco genre rather than rock and metal. Nevertheless, they only stood on scene for 40 minutes.

Sonata Arctica came after. Though this band became more and more popular with every album release, I never could come to like them. First of all, in several songs, Tony Kakko's voice is rather annoying or unfitting. His voice can be varied, he can sing very high, he can scream, he can even growl though the main focus is on his clean vocals and afterwards comes scream voice. The song that I enjoyed the most was Paid in Full, the rest were rather similar, monotone and simply, not the kind of music that makes you go all wild, it is good to listen only but not to act.

The most anticipated band came after Sonata Arctica. Lacuna Coil is probably the most known metal band from Italy and the most popular in foreign countries as well. Since their 2002 release of Comalies, this band met with an incredible success. Since then they released two more albums that became even more popular than the previous ones. Heaven's a Lie, Our Truth, Closer, Enjoy The Silence, The Edge and Spellbound are just some of their well known hits that could not miss from this concert.

Why I claim that this band was the most anticipated out of all? Clearly, the public reacted the most during their stage performance. Even though I went to all Artmania festivals since 2006, I've never seen such a wild crowd and so many people jumping and screaming like mad. Lacuna Coil might not be as good as Helloween and Tarja when it comes to musical skills (though we talk about slightly different genres) but one thing they have and the other didn't is that they managed to make the crowd react exactly the way the wanted, which in my opinion is a very good thing for a band. I also enjoyed Christina's escapade with the motorcycle on the stage, it was just fucking awesome.

Conclusion:

Best Band (1st Day): Helloween
Best Band (2nd Day): Lacuna Coil
Best Band (Overall): Lacuna Coil
Best Singer: Rob Vitacca (Lacrimas Profundere) and Andrea Fero (Lacuna Coil)
Best Song: Over The Hills And Far Away (Tarja Turunen, ex-Nightwish)

ARTmania Festival Day 1 (impressions)

Artmania Festival is a Rock/Metal event that began as a project in 2005 and held its premiere in 2006. Since their first event, many important names from the metal scenes walked on this stage, names such as My Dying Bride, Opeth, Amorphis, Anathema, Within Temptation, Nightwish, Dark Tranquillity, Serj Tankian, Kamelot, PAIN or Lacrimosa.

This year other names show up in this festival. Lacrimas Profundere held their first concert in Romania at Artmania festival this year. They currently play a more mainstream gothic rock than in the early days when they were an exclusive underground doom/death metal band or in mid career, a gothic metal band. They were the ones that opened the concert. A Peal, Dear Amy, Amber Girl or Ave End were just some of the songs that the german sung in this concert.

After their short 40 minute representation, another German legend walked on the scene, this time a band that has its roots in the early-mid 80s and are well known for pioneering power metal, Helloween. This band knows how to make a hell of a concert. Insane guitar riffs, blast drum beats, a voice that can be compared with Marco Hietala's from Nightwish if we talk about height and power and also, the fact that they know how to pull some very nice and tasteful jokes on stage. The public received their songs very well and I think that they might've been the real headliners of this show.

Helloween performed for almost an hour and half on stage. They were followed by another legend, this time, Tarja Turunen. After her departure from Nightwish she has been struggling to find her own musical style distinctive from the one that she used to perform with Nightwish. Though her first albums were clearly trying desperately to detach themselves from Nightwish's style, with her newer albums she managed to find a style of her own. What I like about her is that she remained the same, her voice is as good without the other Nightwish members. Musically speaking, her works are still inferior in contrast with her works from Nighwish but I enjoyed seeing her performing End of all Hope and Over the Hills and Far Away.

In conclusion, it was not a bad day. This might've been the best day of the festival and it might remain. The second day presents other 3 bands but the most anticipated out of all are Sonata Arctica and Lacuna Coil. The day will start with Republica and will end with Lacuna Coil.

Top 10 Black Metal Bands (personal top)

Well, well. I've seen a lot of top's made by all people with different tastes. Seen top's of heavy metal bands, of death metal bands but I've rarely seen a top of the best black metal bands. Surely, the black metal scene has many names that should not be taken lightly. Black Metal is not an old genre like trash or heavy metal, it barely exists for 30 years if we count the hybrid years as well.

Since we've settled this, let's begin my personal top (keep in mind, most of my choices are just from my preferences but I also took in consideration opinions from different people as well so it's not completely biased):


10. Satyricon

Satyricon is a name taken from a famous poem written by Gaius Petronius in late 1st century AD. This band has been founded in 1990 but the original members retired short after the band started their gigs. Since their departure the band became a two men band featuring Satyr (Sigurd Vongraven) and Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad). The first is the vocalist, guitarist, bassist and keyboardist of the band while the second is the drummer of the band, one of the best this genre gave and probably one of the top 5 best drummers from the metal scene. Currently, Satyricon released 7 full length studio albums (the last one in 2008), 3 EPs, 3 compilation albums, 2 demos and also 5 songs feature videos.

Satyricon's music changed with time. It went from a raw, traditional black metal to a more commercial one especially with their 6th studio album, "Now, Diabolical" which was well received by the black metal community but it was also well received by audiences outside of the black metal community as well. Even so, this album is considered Satyricon's best album and also their climax.

9. Emperor

It is a pity that Emperor does not exist anymore. Same like Satyricon, Emperor is a Norwegian black metal band that emerged in the second black metal wave in the early 90s. The band was active until 2001 and it reunited two times in 2006 and 2007 for several gigs. Emperor is well known for being one of the first black metal bands that incorporated symphonic metal influences similar to the kind of music Dimmu Borgir played in their first and second full length albums. Featuring two of the most controversial black metal figures, Ihsahn and Samoth their albums were well received by the black metal community and even today though the band has disbanded they are still very popular. Unlike Satyricon, some members from Emperor involved themselves in the famous church burning incidents in Norway during the early till mid 90s.

Emperor released 4 studio albums, 2 live albums, 3 compilation albums, 7 EPs and also 2 split albums. Most of their works are kinda outdated since they were active in the 90s and not that active in the later years. Their last album was released in 2001, entitled "Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise".

8. Enthroned

This time we move from the Norwegian black metal scene towards a country that does not have many well known black metal bands but is the home of one of the most extreme black metal band, Enthroned. Belgium is well known for bands that are into mainstream metal or into a soft metal rather than extreme one, however all this ends when you encounter Enthroned. They are extreme in every way, on stage, through their music and as well through their lyrics and messages. Till today, they released 8 studio albums (last one in 2010), 2 EPs and 1 live album.

Enthroned was also a band that could not stay away from scandals. They first attracted the attention of the public after their front man and vocalist Cernunnos commit suicide by hanging himself in 1997.

7. Immortal

We now come back to the Norwegian black metal scene with the band Immortal. Immortal is a special band. It was founded by Abbath Doom Occulta and Demonaz Doom Occulta in 1990 after their previous bands Amputation and Old Funeral could not take off. They began with a classic black metal style specific for that time but with the release of "At the Heart of Winter" (1999) they incorporated some thrash metal elements as well. The band disbanded in 2003 and reunited in 2006. It now features Abbath as the vocalist and guitarist of the band, Horgh as the drummer and Apollyon as bassist. Demonaz retired from playing the guitar after 1997 because of tendinopathy. He was no longer able to play the fast tempo guitar riffs for the band however he continues to write lyrics and also represent them as the manager.

Immortal was a band that remained calm and quiet during the incidents that took place in Norway in the 90s. Though they are a black metal band, they only depicted satanic themes in their 1st full length album "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism" (1992) afterwards they started to focus on themes such as seasons or nature. They also make references to a fictional land called Blashyrkh which is said to be "demon and battle field". They focus especially on winter landscapes, woods, mountains, fog and glacial valleys. They released 8 studio albums (last one in 2009), 1 EP, 1 split album, 1 demo and 1 DVD album (2010).

6. Carpathian Forest

Yet another black metal band from Norway. Carpathian Forest refers mostly to the Carpathian mountains, most probably a reference to Transilvania, a land that is now part of Romania. It was founded in 1990 by Nattefrost and it was previously known as The Child Molesters and Enthrone. Like most black metal albums, they depict anti-religious themes and also satanic themes but not in all of their songs. They play a raw black metal style with some melodic influences.

Carpathian Forest released until now 6 studio albums (last one in 2006), 4 compilation albums and 2 demos. They last played live in 2009 and they confirmed that they are working on a new album.

5. Behemoth

Now we go to the Polish black metal scene and we will discuss about Behemoth this time. Behemoth was formed in 1991 by vocalist and guitarist Adam Darski also known as Nergal. In the early years the band played a raw and brutal black metal but with the 1999 release of their 4th studio album entitled "Satanica" they changed their style and incorporated death metal influences thus they confirmed their presence on the blackened death metal scene. Until 2004 the band suffered many line-up changes but once Orion and Seth joined the band in 2004, they became a lot more consistent.

Behemoth is also a band that remains in the flash light. Dew to the conceptions that Nergal has and also some controversial declarations the band encountered resistance mainly because Poland is a catholic country and the content of their albums are anti-religious and satanic. Until today, Behemoth released 9 studio albums, 6 EPs, 1 live album, 3 demos, 2 DVDs and 4 compilation albums.

4. Gorgoroth

Probably the most extreme band on the black metal scene. Yet another Norwegian black metal band, Gorgoroth like most bands was formed in the early 90s (1992 more exactly) after Infernus made a pact with the devil. Gorgoroth is well known for their elaborate and controversial gigs where they place sheep or pig heads on stakes and crucified models, a true stage bloodbath. Even though they are showing a very fearful image and the band is focusing mostly on satanic themes, they never actually showed any aggression or violence against churches like other black metal bands in the early 90s did.

Until now, Gorgoroth released 8 studio albums, 4 live albums and 2 demos. Currently they are working on a re-recording of the 1997 album "Under the Sign of Hell" which will be released in August 29th, 2011. They became popular especially after the release of two remarkable black metal albums, "Incipit Satan" and "Twilight of the Idols".

3. Burzum

This is not quite a band so to say. This is a one man project which was given life by Varg Vikernes one of the most important black metal figures and one of the most notorious metal musicians of all times which attracted a lot of attention with his controversial declaration and also with his political preferences and views. Varg Vikernes during the early 90s was involved in several church burnings and he is also the murderer of Euronymous, the founding member and the mastermind behind Mayhem. He is also known as Count Grishnack, nickname taken from Tolkien's famous Lord of the Rings novels. Burzum never had any gigs, the front man mainly focusing on producing albums. Burzum was founded in 1991 and during 1992 and 1993, Varg recorded 4 studio albums. In 1994 he was imprisoned for murdering Euronymous and for the arson of several churches. During his imprisonment he recorded 2 more album using synthesizer's since he was not allowed to use a guitar.

All Burzum albums are recorded in low quality mainly because at the time he recorded those albums, it was a trend that black metal albums should remain in low quality production because of the underground influences. After his prison release in 2009, Varg recorded and released two more albums, "Belus" (2010) and "Fallen" (2011). Burzum is considered one of the most important black metal figures even nowadays and one of the few bands that remained true to their own roots. Until today, Burzum released 9 studio albums, 3 demos, 2 videos, 5 compilation albums and several other contributions including 10 tribute albums. Even though 10 years passed from his last album release while he was in prison, Belus and Fallen maintain the typical burzumish traits.

2. Darkthrone

This time we talk about a band that has its roots from the first black metal wave. Darkthrone, unlike other black metal bands, played some other music styles as well. They started as a death metal band with its first studio album "Soulside Journey" released in 1991. After that they changed style and started playing a raw and brutal black metal featuring Nocturno Culto and Fenriz. After 1993 this band remained a two men band. The band continued to play black metal until 2004 when they released their final black metal album entitled "Sardonic Wrath".

 

Soon after, the band changed their play style into speed metal with punk influences. Until today, the band released 14 studio albums, 4 compilation albums, 3 EPs and 5 demos.

1. Mayhem

No doubt, the most violent, the most aggressive, the most blasphemous but the best out of all the black metal bands. Mayhem can be considered the band that gave black metal the shape and the sound that we know today. Even though there were more earlier bands that played the same style, it featured a hybrid kind of black metal, incorporating influences from trash and speed metal. Mayhem was the band that managed to cast those influences aside and made black metal a distinctive metal genre. The band was founded by Euronymous, Manheim and Necrobutcher and with this line-up they recorded and released their first EP, Deathcrush in 1987. This album featured Maniac and Messiah as vocalists.

The band started to become notorious after Dead and Hellhammer were hired after Maniac and Manheim left the band. Dead used to cut himself on stage and go to any extent so that he can be satisfied with his stage performances. In 1991 he commits suicide and soon after in 1993, Euronymous is murdered. In 1994, with only Hellhammer left, the band released the long awaited album, "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" and soon after the band ceased to exist.

The band reunited in 1995 with a new line-up featuring Hellhammer, Rune Eriksen (Blasphemer) and with the help of two old members Necrobutcher and Maniac they recorded a new EP entitled "Wolf's Lair Abyss" released in 1997 which featured some technical influences rather than the typical raw black metal in the bands earlier releases. In 2000, the band released "Grand Declaration of War" which featured a totally different style, being influenced by progressive and avant-garde metal styles.

With the 2004 release of "Chimera" the band went back to its original black metal traits. After the release of this album, Maniac left the band and was replaced by Attila Csihar which did the vocal parts on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas after Dead's suicide. With this line-up change, Mayhem released in 2007 "Ordo ad Chaos" which featured a more rawer sound than Chimera. In 2008, Rune Eriksen left the band.

Mayhem's popularity among the black metal bands that emerged in the early 90s is also astonishing. Bands like Behemoth, Gorgoroth, Enslaved, Emperor and even death metal bands such as Vader made several covers for songs such as Freezing Moon or Funeral Fog taken from their De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas album.

 

Mayhem is considered the front runner of the black metal genre. Until today they released 6 studio albums, 4 live albums, 6 demos and 4 compilation albums.

Behemoth - Demigod (album chronic)

Band: Behemoth
Years Active: 1991 - present (20 years)
Genre: Blackened Death Metal (later), black metal (early)
Origin: Poland
Label: Nuclear Blast Records (Europe), Metal Blade Records (US)
Current Line-up: Adam "Nergal" Darski (lead vocals, guitar), Tomasz "Orion" Wróblewski (backing vocals, bass guitar), Zbigniew Robert "Inferno" Promiński (drums), Patryk "Seth" Sztyber (backing vocals, guitar)


Poland. A country that after the communist regime collapsed started to develop a strong interest regarding underground metal. We have early bands like Hate or Vader that started taking death metal as their main genre. In the 90s, fueled by other black metal bands from the first wave (Mayhem, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Venom, etc) the polish black metal community started to bloom.


Today, probably the most known and the most important band on the underground metal scene in Poland is Behemoth. Unlike the Norwegian black metal scene, the Polish black metal scene was not involved in stuff like church burnings though some bands, including Behemoth are very oppressive and rejecting with everything that refers to christianity or religion in particular.


In their early years, the band played a typical black metal style with it's already well known traits but after the 1999 release of their album "Satanica", they confirmed their presence on the blackened death metal scene revolving around themes such as occult, mythology and satanism in particular. One thing is for sure, I love the new Behemoth rather than the old one. This style fits much more for Nergal's brutal voice and considering that their live concerts are feast mainly because they feature not one but 3 vocals, it surely is something that every metal fan should look forward to.


Demigod is actually the bands 7th full length studio album which was released in 2004 with the current line-up that I mentioned before. Like many bands, Behemoth withstood many line-up changes but since 2004 once Orion and Seth became official members this line-up was maintained even until today. Because of so many line-up changes, Behemoth suffered in terms of musical style too, by incorporating the elements from the main musicians which were changed during their early years.


Demigod is the start of a band that this time seems solid in line-up and in my opinion, is the start of an even better Behemoth, ready to conquer all. It starts with the song "Sculpting the Throne of Seth" which features music written by Nergal and lyrics my Seth and it depicts a war resolution. This song refers to a world without a god, where everyone is their own god and represents a vow that the land will not remain unconquered.

The second track of this album, entitled "Demigod" is far more expressive than the first one. In this one Nergal used his own traits in order to write this song, individuality, life, ambition are just some stuff that Nergal made references in this song claiming that as he listens to the opening he could imagine "the berserking, frienzied, undefeated Roman legions". Apparently this song also makes a reference to a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche.

It is not long until it reaches it's climax with probably the best song from this album "Conquer All" which is one of their most brutal songs, and a song that sends a very antichristian message claiming that "2000 years is nothing / though it's been enough". The video is not so impressive and the voice is very brutal and because of the fast guitar riffs and tempo, it can barely be understood. This song is once again inspired from a famous quote taken from Crowley. With this song Nergal wanted to make that quoted a lot more expressive.

"The Nephilim Rising" refers to the nephilim myth and it makes references to opportunities, having ambition and determination, it tries to send a message it is not easy to claim that some stuff are above or below others and the stuff that judge these are the human evolution, history, universe and existence are more on a vertical line. "Towards the Babylon" represents a tribute to the gods which in Nergal's point of view stand as "guardians of his own mortality, full of vitality and beauty but at the same time, being cruel and merciless with enemies".


The 6th track "Before Aeons Came" has music written by Nergal and lyrics written by Charles Swinburne from his work "Atlanta in Calydon". It refers to stuff such as liberty, relation between pain and pleasure and the psychology of sexual passion. You can see through the lyrics that the author had a pagan view.


The 7th track "Mysterium Coniunctionis (Hermanubis)" deals with the same occult themes that we were used to from Behemoth while the 8th track entitled "Xul" represents the Sumerian word for "evil" but if you read it backwards it will give you the latin word "Lux" which means "light".


The 9th track and yet the climax point of this album "Slaves Shall Serve" is once again a song that makes references to christianity. It depicts christianity as a perpetrator, enslaving people and controlling them being one of the things religion does best and yet it manages to be unobserved or ignored by the masses. This song is an inspiration from "The Book of the Law".

Finally, this album ends with the longest track, the 10th track, "The Reign of Shemsu-Hor" which is a civilization that existed before the ancient Egyptians. They were considered by Andrew Collins, fallen angels and they were more like a sacred society. A long song, but it also features vocals from Seth and not only Nergal.

Behemoth as a band has a special place in the black metal community and with this album they also stand as one of the front runners of the polish blackened death metal scene. Demigod is actually the start of a Behemoth more interesting and more brutal that ever before never willing to do anymore compromises. If you wish to listen to one of their albums, look no further, pick this one, you will definitely enjoy it.


Overall: 9

Track Listing:

1.	"Sculpting the Throne ov Seth"	4:43
2.	"Demigod"	3:33
3.	"Conquer All"	3:31
4.	"The Nephilim Rising"	4:22
5.	"Towards Babylon"	3:24
6.	"Before the Æons Came"	3:00
7.	"Mysterium Coniunctionis (Hermanubis)"	3:42
8.	"XUL"	3:13
9.	"Slaves Shall Serve"	3:06
10.	"The Reign ov Shemsu-Hor"	8:28

Draconian - The Burning Halo (Album Chronic)

Band: Draconian
Years Active: 1994 - present (17 years)
Genre: Doom/Death Metal, Gothic Metal
Label: Napalm Records
Current Line-up: Johan Ericson (backing vocals, lead guitar), Anders Jacobson (vocals), Jerry Torstensson (drums), Lisa Johansson (vocals), Daniel Arvidsson (rhythm guitar), Fredrik Johansson (bass)

And here I am, struggling to do this chronic with a terrible toothache. If it wasn't for Draconian I swear I would've not cared but for this band, I'd rather delay my death rather than delaying this review. People that are following my blog might be acquainted with their style and their musical approach especially since I reviewed their latest album, "A Rose for the Apocalypse".

Draconian's 3rd full length album "The Burning Halo" was released in 2006 is not really that much of a surprise nor an album that can break into charts. It is not even filled with new songs. It is composed of 3 original songs, 3 redone songs from the demo "The Closed Eyes of Paradise" and two other covers of songs from the 1970s.


Since they're earlier album releases, Draconian became a band that will not be taken lightly by the metal community. Both "Where Lovers Mourn" and "Arcane Rain Fell" were well received by metal fans and their style started to get more refined. You know, it is said that the first album is an experimental album where the band tries to come up with something new. The second album is considered the strong piece of the collection and it depends of its success if the band will get to a higher place in charts and if it attracts more attention from the metal fan-bases.


However, the third album is the one that counts the most. The first two are the base, the foundation of a band's style, yet the third is the one that gives them their identity and also their definite style. You do not need to know the band so that you can figure out their style, as long as you're acquainted with their specific sound you can recognize them. Draconian is one of those band that have an aura in their songs, a special one, that makes them easy to be recognized.


Like we were used, this album as well features death grunts from Anders Jacobsson and
clean vocals from Lisa Johansson. Surprisingly though, this duo in my opinion had the best performance in this album. The 1st song (which is the 1st original track of this album) entitled "She Dies" actually tells us already the style that the band developed. Anders has the main role in this song, with his powerful and convincing death grunts and with the melancholic guitar riffs, this song can quickly catch the attention of the listener and it stands as the perfect album introduction. The lyrics of this song depicts the death of a beloved one and the resolve the one that still lives has in order to not forget his beloved one wishing that if he could die along with her.

Likewise in the 2nd song of the album, entitled "Through Infectious Waters (A Sickness Elegy)" the main role is once again bestowed upon Anders but this time Lisa gets a more important role as well, featuring a perfect duo. It is only until the 3rd track and the last original one from this album, entitled "The Dying" when the power of this duo is revealed. This is probably the second best song from this album in my standards.

Now on to the re-recorded songs. Since the band changed a little bit from their early 1999 demo, they had to make these songs appeal for their new image as a gothic doom metal band. As expected all of them fit seamlessly in the bands style however, the song that I considered the best out of all the songs from this album is "The Gothic Embrace" which expresses a huge disgust and hatred towards christians and christianity, depicting god and religion as an entity that stoles everything a man holds dear.

The two covers from this album are slightly different compared to the style that this band is using. Though the 1st song entitled "On Sunday They Will Kill The World" originally performed by Ekseption fits in the doom/death metal description but the 2nd cover "Forever My QueenI" does stray a bit from Draconian's style mainly because the band that firstly performed it, Pentagram is slightly different in style.

Though this could not be considered a very outstanding album, it sends exactly what the fans wanted to receive, more Draconian like songs with messages that hold deep meanings. I do admit that Draconian through Anders voice tends to be very convincing. His grunts are just absolutely amazing and combined with Lisa's voice, they make a wonderful duo on stage and even on live performances.

I do not claim that this is their best album. Their style remained the same in all of their full length album which is quite amazing, however Draconian is not a band that reached its climax. I am definitely waiting to see them reaching it and if it will, I think it will be one of the best albums in the gothic and doom metal genre of the new decade.

Overall: 8

Track Listing:

1. "She Dies" – 7:28
2. "Through Infectious Waters (A Sickness Elegy)" – 8:04
3. "The Dying" – 9:48
4. "Serenade of Sorrow" – 5:00
5. "The Morningstar" – 8:01
6. "The Gothic Embrace" – 8:34
7. "On Sunday They Will Kill the World" [Ekseption Cover]– 4:12
8. "Forever My Queen" [Pentagram Cover] – 2:49