Description
Black vinyl with lyric insert and gatefold cover
To many, Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal/Morbid Angel) is one of the best guitarists in the Death Metal field today. This album is, however, unlike anything he’s done before or since. Over the production is good though it could have been better. The guitars are thick yet melodic; this isn’t a complete departure from Rutans style, just a different interpretation of it. The leads are intricate and fast and the rhythms are polyrhythmic. Also they go from distorted to clean periodically. The bass compliments the guitars throughout the release sprinkling bits of Classical and Jazz where appropriate. The drums are fairly bombastic, while not overly adventurous, keeping things interesting. The vocals by Therion live vocalist Martina Astner are outstanding. They almost don’t work in a few places and had they used another singer they might not have. They add a new level of intensity to the recording. This was a rather large gambit that ended up working out. This is a different album as its operatic and gothic, not Death, or Darkwave. The songs have a very classy feel to them and have a very satisfying feeling. One could argue that some of the songs drag a bit in places (about the middle of the album and on) but over all this is pretty good. One can only hope that more records come from it in the future. This is not an easy listen either, this is a grower (as it were) and as such certainly recommended for those wanting something different in the way of Gothic Metal.
Track listing:
1. Absolute Purity
2. The Enchanted
3. Endlessly Searching
4. Silencing The Sorrow
5. Loss Of A Life
6. Tragedies
7. Quest Of Serenity
8. Rejection Of What You Perceive
9. Surmounting The Masses
10. Longing For Destiny