APOSTOLUM
Sometimes I have to wonder what people are going on about when they give names to songs and/or albums. I mean, 'Winds of Disillusion'. Let that settle in for a moment. What the hell is that supposed to be conveying to me? That clement weather might make me slightly less enchanted about my lot in life? No, I think heavy metal musicians (black metallers especially) are guilty of taking a stock battery of words, and jumbling them into vaguely coherent phrases to sound cold and mythic. Guess what? It doesn't work.
However, before this turns into a torrent of abuse, based purely on the name of the album, I suppose I should talk about the music contained within. Things look great on paper; epic song length (although that can be a double-edged sword), comparisons to early Anathema; Paradise Lost; My Dying Bride, and, best of all, allusions to the songs being multi-faceted progressive monsters. And, for the most part, it's an accurate summation. However, there is a massive problem. The songs, when in metal mode, sound flat (as the trve black metal they use as their basis should do). However, the progressive nature of the songs, and the length, makes listening to it a chore. Which is a crying shame, because the songs are actually well written, and the moods suitably atmospheric. The clean guitars sound gorgeous. But, the one-dimensional vocals, programmed drums, and buzz-saw guitars do not suit what is being attempted here. Perhaps in 1990 this would have been ground-breaking. I'm actually really disappointed by this - usually reviewing makes me feel either intense anger or wistful bliss - because I can appreciate what could have been given the right production. As it is, this is a portent perhaps of future greatness; I shall certainly be looking forward to their next release. But, as it is, I can only score this as a missed opportunity.
However, before this turns into a torrent of abuse, based purely on the name of the album, I suppose I should talk about the music contained within. Things look great on paper; epic song length (although that can be a double-edged sword), comparisons to early Anathema; Paradise Lost; My Dying Bride, and, best of all, allusions to the songs being multi-faceted progressive monsters. And, for the most part, it's an accurate summation. However, there is a massive problem. The songs, when in metal mode, sound flat (as the trve black metal they use as their basis should do). However, the progressive nature of the songs, and the length, makes listening to it a chore. Which is a crying shame, because the songs are actually well written, and the moods suitably atmospheric. The clean guitars sound gorgeous. But, the one-dimensional vocals, programmed drums, and buzz-saw guitars do not suit what is being attempted here. Perhaps in 1990 this would have been ground-breaking. I'm actually really disappointed by this - usually reviewing makes me feel either intense anger or wistful bliss - because I can appreciate what could have been given the right production. As it is, this is a portent perhaps of future greatness; I shall certainly be looking forward to their next release. But, as it is, I can only score this as a missed opportunity.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Moribund
Album
WINDS OF DISILLUSION
Review by Steve Cowan
RUNNING TIME:
55:56
RELEASE DATE:
21st Jan 2014
TRACK LISTING
1) Intro (Light Into the Void)
2) Unworthiness and Decay
3) Higher Planes of Existence
4) Less Than a Step
5) Gleam of Lucidity
6) Debris of Perception
2) Unworthiness and Decay
3) Higher Planes of Existence
4) Less Than a Step
5) Gleam of Lucidity
6) Debris of Perception
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Italy
"the one-dimensional vocals, programmed drums, and buzz-saw guitars do not suit what is being attempted here. Perhaps in 1990 this would have been ground-breaking."
