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OBTAINED ENSLAVEMENT
The Shepherd and the Hounds of Hell
Another Norwegian black metal group, that plays melodic metal, but without keyboards(!), and thats not bad.......The music it self is not so original or special, but they are all very good musicians and they perform it very well.
The band have a few album behind them, but I haven´t heard this group before (and I am not so curious about them either). But I think this album is an okay one......Nothing special, not original, we have heard it before, but it sounds nice in my ears, and thats the main point!
Ranking: 6 / 10
OLD MAN'S CHILD
In Defiance of Existence
I guess this Norwegian melodic black metal group always will be compared to their country mates Dimmu Borgir. For many reasons: They did a split CD together, they play the same style of black metal and they "share" members. Galder, the founder of Old Man's Child, are nowadays playing the guitar in Dimmu Borgir. Tjodalv, the first drummer in Dimmu Borgir also played drums for Old Man's Child. Today Nicholas Barker play the drums, and his main band are....Yes, Dimmu Borgir. And the final question: Do they sound like Dimmu Borgir? Well....They do, and that's not so strange. They do perform melodic black metal (even if Dimmu has gone more "harder" with their "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia"-album). Some people call Old Man's Child a rip-off, and I can understand that from all those reasons above, but I am sure that the guys can stand on their own, without Dimmu. If one just listen to the music and forget such things as bandmembers and Norway, one will hear that this album are just as good as any other melodic black metal album. But I didn't say that I like this, no... There are too much keyboards ala Limbonic Art (you know, one keyboard sounding like a whole orchestra). Nothing wrong with that but my advice is that if Old Man's Child let the guitars "talk" louder, this album would be a killer. Because when the keyboard shuts up and the guitars explodes it sounds really great. Unfortunately that happens rarely. But that's why this is called melodic black metal....
Ranking: 4 / 10
This is one of those all-time classic albums. At least for me. Comparing this
album with "Morningrise" or "Orchid" and you will find a
big difference. Not only Mikael Åkerfeldt's voice, but also the music
itself. A big improvement! Listening to "Morningrise" a couple of
times and I will get bored pretty soon. Well, the older ones are really nice
albums, but this, the "new" Opeth strikes even better, bigger and
with more power!
Just listen to "April Ethereal", the opener, and get blown away. Listen
to "When" with it's complicity and contrast, but yet your mind will
find it simple.
Another highlight are off course "Demon of the Fall" (the shortest
Opeth song ever?). Maybe their most famous song ever, and a must on every live
act (to please the audience).
In the middle of the storm, the beauty "Credence" appear. Maybe the
best acoustic Opeth song ever(?).
So if early Opeth just passed you by and you love their later albums, "My arms, Your hearse" are the missing link in your metal life!
Ranking: 9 / 10
OPETH
Still Life
This is the "modern" Opeth, when it seems like they find the sound and production they searched for. "My Arms, Your Hearse" was a progress but this is when they succeed to make a album with a strong production in all categories (song, guitars, drums etc.). So, what about the music? Well, as we all know, give Opeth some time! Even if this album is much easier than "Blackwater..." and "Deliverance". The first song on the album ("The Moor") is a nice little tune which is a noncomplex song, even if it reach almost 10 minutes. And this phenomena reflects on almost all the songs on the album. It's quite simple and soft. For example are there two acoustic songs: "Benighted" and "Face of Melinda", and the other 5 songs are very harmonic and easy. It might sound that I dislike it, but nooo..... This is a great album. And if you didn't like the early Opeth you will for sure like "Still Life". And if this is your favorite Opeth album I think you dislike "Deliverance"....or? Maybe I am wrong.
Ranking: 8 / 10
OPETH
Blackwater Park
Slow, slow, slow.....dark, beautiful, melancholic etc. All the gothic things are there. Sometimes with a deep, deep and dark voice and sometimes with a clean nice voice. There is acoustic guitar, and there is doomy hard riffs here and there.
This is a album which is a nice one to listen to at night, with a few candles and a bottle of wine. Not a party album. But I always feel that there is something missing in the music. I dont know what, but this album is not the best I´ve bought, but it´s not the worst either.....So, judge for your self! But if you like all those things I wrote at the top, you will probably like this one.
Ranking: 6 / 10
OPETH
Deliverance
Every fan of Opeth have waited for this album to be unleashed. And finally
it arrives!
I read in an interview that those who liked "Blackwater Park" will
be disappointed after hearing this one (Mikael Åkerfeldt said that). So
I was a little afraid to put this brand new album in the player....
First of all: my rating on "Blackwater.." are too low. I realize
that now. That album deserve a higher mark, that's for sure, but I am not going
to changed that. My mistake, but I think that "Blackwater..." needs
a couple of listening before one can fully understand it. I understand it today
and I love it...
"Deliverance" is also such album you must listen to. And I really
mean listen to. It is nothing you play when you are cleaning the dishes or when
you are eating tacos. No this album needs, and deserves, your full attention.
And what about that fact that those who liked "Blackwater..." will
be disappointed? I say no. No one can be disappointed. If you are a fan of Opeth
you will like this, no matter in which way your brain is damage...:) Shortly:
this is a great album (who was excepting anything else?).
For you who are new into Opeth, read the review above for a description of the
music,
This beauty opens with "Wreath". A hard, technical song that really fits as an opener. "Deliverance", the title track follows and with its soft and sad approach it makes you realize that you must love Opeth...
Ranking: 9 / 10
OPETH
Damnation
A half year after "Deliverance" the next Opeth album arrives. This one was actually recorded at the same time as "Deliverance". And for you who haven't heard what this album is all about: This is like nothing Opeth have done before. It's an acoustic album all through, and I can imagine some disappointed faces out there when listening to this album...
Well, I was disappointed at first, cause I had expected more songs like "Face of Melinda", "Harvest" and "Benighted". The only song that lives up to those are the opening one "Windowpane", which is a really great one. But after a few days I realize that this is Opeth. One must listen to them several times before you can "see" the beauty and be enlightened... Now I fully understand the music, but still there is something missing, and I hate to say it. Just half of the album are Opeth, the rest feels like some songs they wrote and recorded in the studio (like "Death whispered a Lullaby" and "Weakness"). The other half are just great. Songs like "Windowpane", "Hope Leaves" and "To rid the disease" are excellent, and that's the way I want my Opeth!
Ranking: 6 / 10
One of Swedens oldest black metal band, and I am not sure if they exist today.....The main figure of the band are It, yes he calls himself that, who also play in the sick cult band Abruptum, and co-wrote some songs to Dissection. Well, this group, with the hard spelled name, plays heavy, mid-paced, black metal in both English and Swedish, and I must say that the Swedish songs sounds a bit stupid at first, but I got used to it. Some nice riffs appears here and there, and there are many nice melodies in between.....It writes most of the songs, and his lyrics are very well written.......
I loved this album when it came out, but nowadays I hardly listen to it. Maybe because it is a very simple album: One guitar, one bass and a drumset. Not more. But since the production is so good the sound becomes pretty big and fat anyway.
A nice album, which not sounds like "the rest".
Ranking: 6 / 10
This bands singer and songwriter is called Vintersorg. And that what his main band is called (which is a quite good one).
This is a folk metal with viking and ancient tales influences. Catchy music with nice riffs, violins and mouth harp. Pretty nice.....But after a few songs I get bored of this, since there are too many songs sounding all the same. But the cover of "Holy Diver" is excellent!
Ranking: 4 / 10
