concreteweb - Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Vihan messU

Dirk — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:20:12 +0000

Artist:

Vihan messU

Album Title:

Vihan messU

Release Date:

Friday, March 18, 2016

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

Recently I published a review for Kaste Mustassa Tulessa, an album that sort of compiled older Vihan messU songs, but all of them being recreated for that release especially – see update December 26^th 2017. Because this album what this review deals with is an untitled one (or self-called, as you wish), I thought this could be a third part of re-recorded material (after higher mentioned Kaste Mustassa Tulessa or 2015’s Liittona Pimeyteesi), or a ‘real’ compilation of older and / or unreleased stuff. But that is not the case.

This nameless one is one of the many studio releases done by Henri Raekallio under his Vihan messU moniker (he’s also in KKMK or Awesome Depression), which got released as well via Patologian Laboratorio Productions (like the one my former review deals with – see first paragraph), the label of Grimm666 aka Aki Klemm (owner of the Patologian Laboratorio Studio and member (solo or in group) of e.g. Grimirg, Hautakammio, Oath and many more).

Vihan messU album is the ninth or tenth full length, I guess (compilations not included), and it was originally released via the modern digital sources, followed by CD-pressings (as mentioned in the first paragraph), and in mean time being tape-released as well. Actually, it is a one-track recording, lasting for thirty-three minutes, divided into five chapters. It comes with sober yet truly beautiful artwork (hail Mater Terra, hail Spirits of Nature, hail glorious Winter!).

The album brings a very melodious form of Black Metal with a coldness that typifies the Scandinavian scene. The production too has that Nordic elegance. It’s full and massive in sound, with a correct but not an excellent mix (too few distinction is audible in between rhythm guitars and basses), and a dense, rough and muddy production. It might be somewhat too unpolished, yet it goes well with the atmosphere. The songs have a distinct guitar-based melodic structure, with several tremolo and twin guitar leads. There melodies are epic, sometimes even melancholic, proud and defiant. All this gets supported by pounding strings (minor detail, as mentioned: it’s not always that clear to hear whether the rhythm melodies are done by four- or six-string guitars) and very variable drums and percussions. These drums vary a lot: from militantly battering (from time to time hammering whirlwind-wise) to technically balanced (as if they’re created to be an entity on their own). The vocals are raucously throaty, low-tuned (not high-pitched screaming) and enormously powerful. Henri’s blackened grunts are ultimately grim and compelling.

In some way, there is a mesmerizing character within this album’s performance. Evidently it has to do with the melodic leads and rhythms, yet it gets caused as well by the occult and ritual identity of this lengthy track. Moreover, multi-layered excerpts strengthen that bewitching identity – it already starts with the opening riff; listen carefully, and after just a few seconds you’ll be hypnotised.

My sole remark must be the sound quality, which could have been produced little more balanced, I think. But from conceptual point of view, and performance-wise, this untitled Vihan messU album is, once again, a monument. Okay, it is not renewing, and you might have experienced equal-sounding albums before, but that does not matter, for the result, the total quality, is very satisfying. Once again a Patologian Laboratorio Productions recommendation!

Ivan Tibos.

85/100

Vihan messU (1)

Dirk — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 12:39:32 +0000

Artist:

Vihan messU

Album Title:

Kaste Mustassa Tulessa

Release Date:

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

Vihan messU is the name of a very productive solo-project by a Finnish guy called Henri Raekallio. Last decade and this decade, Henri created a whole discography under different monikers, amongst which Vihan messU, which means something like ‘wrath from the masses’ or ‘fair hate’. Via the great Finnish label Patologian Laboratorio Productions, run by Aki Klemm, two Vihan messU recordings were presented to the thankful audience, being this one and an untitled one. The latter will be reviewed and published soon.

Kaste Mustassa Tulessa is a collection of older tracks, all of them being re-recorded for this release especially. So, it means that this is not just a compilation, for Henri indeed recorded each single track again. The reason was that he thought that those songs were of an acceptable quality, yet with an awful sound. It’s a fair decision, and therefore it’s not a compilation, nor a new conceptual record, but a new album with older tracks that have been written a while ago. Quite easy to understand, is it not?... It follows the Liittona Pimeyteesi album, which was the first part of this re-recordings series. I have no idea whether there will be a third part in the future, but who knows…

Out of the three main projects Henri runs (he’s also the guy behind great projects like KKMK and Awesome Depression – worth checking out), Vihan messU undoubtedly is the most straight-forward and Nordic-styled Black Metal oriented one. This is one of the purest forms of Second Wave-styled Melodic Black Metal, which gets translated through the sound as well. The production is quite raw and unpolished, lacking any modernistic progressed exaggeration in mix or recording. Because of the dense execution, that roughness does not bother, for all elements (instruments + vocals) are performed in a fine audible equilibrium.

Music-wise, this album compiles a collection of melodious tracks with sort of an epic performance, coming with a very fine atmosphere, which reminds me of the more ritual-obscure bands from Finland, Norway, the U.S. or – well, it does not matter; it’s quite universal in its specific raison d’être. Yes, of course it means a lack of originality. But I spoke, sorry, wrote about Second Wave Nordic styled supremacy (no, I did not mention ‘supremacy’ yet, but it might give you a clue of where I am going to…), and originality is totally otiose, even harassing, for this specific approach. Okay, you do not need to be a brainless and cheap copycat, but just try to do your own thing. With Vihan messU, Henri does. The guitar melodies are like the spine of the songs’ structure, heavily supported by a massive rhythm section, and joined by some fabulous leads and quite grim, deep-growling blackened vocals (not of the high-pitched kind, nor death-grunting, yet rather occult, as in evocative…). It’s mid-tempo for the better part, with a couple of decelerated parts, as well as some faster outbursts – the latter strengthened by those artillery drum patterns.

For the purists: the re-recorded material comes especially from albums like Hauta, Lihan Tie or Kaiken Elämän Raunioilla, so we’re talking about the era 2009-2011, ergo for a part it overlaps the material on Liittona Pimeyteesi, and partly it’s ‘younger’ too.

Ivan Tibos.

80/100

Kalmankantaja

Dirk — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 13:57:53 +0000

Artist:

Kalmankantaja

Album Title:

Tyhjyys

Release Date:

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Label:

Wolfspell Records

Distribution:

Wolfspell Records

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

The Bearer of Death… Kalmankantaja is a productive outfit of a productive guy from Finland, Aki ‘Grim666’ Klemm. As musician, he’s involved with bands and projects like Hautakammio, Order Of The White Hand, Lathspell, Oath or Grimirg, amongst others, but he also runs the Patologian Laboratorio Productions label and the Patologian Laboratorio Studio. For those projects and the label, you can find quite some reviews which I did in the past – with pleasure and satisfaction, evidently! I also published a review for this specific band, Kalmankantaja, being for the split with another excellent Finnish act, V-Khaoz – see December 24th 2015. Check it out.

This 666th Kalmankantaja-release was recorded by Grim666 (composer, guitars, bass guitars and keyboards), once again assisted by Malum’s Tyrant on vocals (he also wrote the lyrics), and drummer V-Khaoz, who did co-operate several times before (and also currently or formerly involved with higher mentioned V-Khaoz or Oath, Hiisi, Azaghal, Druadan Forest, Hin Onde etc.). It gets released via Polish label Wolfspell Records on CD (300 hand-numbered copies) and vinyl, as well as via digital sources, and there seems to be a tape-edition too, yet not via this label. The CD-edition comes with an eight-page booklet, totally enlightened by black-and-white artwork and photography.

For the better part, all five lengthy epics on Tyhjyys (they last for more than eight minutes each, with a total running time of almost three quarters of an hour) go on in the vein of all former stuff, standing for very slow, atmospheric and melancholic Black Metal with that depressing DSBM twist. The better part is based on fluttering guitar leads and solos, which carry the structure of most tracks. Sometimes those lead melodies do carry you away into dreamlike worlds of endless nothingness, and hey, you might like that desolate and desperate feeling… Then again, those guitar riffs can be quite repetitive, creating a somewhat hypnotic atmosphere. Supportive and of non-deniable importance is the magic rhythm section, with excellent drum patterns, lovely bass lines and great guitar riffs. These things truly support the lead parts, lifting everything up to higher levels. On top of it, the sore screams of Tyrant at the one hand, and the spherical synth waves at the other, drench everything into a vision so grey and pale.

But more than before, the Doom-Death and Funeral Doom scenes enter the game – a game you can’t win. Especially the harmonious and dramatic melodies of the guitar leads remind me of mostly unhappy Doom-laden Melancholic Art, sometimes almost flirting with a Gothic-like neo-romantic attitude. No, that’s not a bad thing, for ‘gothic’ and ‘romantic’ must be seen from another angel than many, so many (too many) Pop-Doom bands being around lately. For sure here’s a soft-symphonic elegance going on, veiling everything in a chilly, claustrophobic mist. The few Ambient-like intermezzi strengthen that dejecting soberness / somberness for sure.

The Tyhjyys album is not the most spectacular album you will hear, nor is it a classic monument to be. Therefore, the ‘adventure’ is too low-profile. Yet then again, that low-profile attitude can be considered a strength too. There is more space to focus on the essence, the song writing and the performance, as well as the overall atmosphere, and there’s nothing wrong with these aspects. So let’s conclude with: recommended for sure if you’re interested into the rougher side of funereal, melancholic and unhappy Doom-Black Metal.

Ivan Tibos.

80/100

Lathspell

Dirk — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 20:55:17 +0000

Artist:

Lathspell

Album Title:

Torn Cold Void

Release Date:

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Wolfspell Records

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

The old English word láðspel means something like ‘evil story’ or ‘ominous news’, and it gets used in the Lord Of The Rings saga. The character Grima Wormtongue calls Gandalf that way, for the wizard only enters the halls of Meduseld in times of grief, despair or war. But that could be basic knowledge for Tolkien-adepts, I guess, so I won’t go deeper into the etymological or literary definition of this word.

Lathspell is the name as well for a Finnish combo, and then I am referring to a great band with some highly experienced musicians in its ranks (being involved with acts such as Grimirg, Seal Of Beleth, Hautakammio, Azaghal, Wyrd and so on – FYI: I did several reviews for these acts, so just enter these bands’ names in the ‘search’-tab to find out what beauty they deal with). The band was formed at the end of last century, and after several demonstrational recordings and rehearsals, there were three studio albums in between 2006 and 2009: Versus Ecclesia (2006), Elegia (2008), and Reborn In Retaliation (2009); the three of them being released via the small and short-lived Excesor Christianorum Records label. After a painful period of relative silence, Lathspell returned in 2014 with another album, Impious Incantations, though it was actually recorded in 2010 (label: Misanthropic Art Productions). Yet still, the band was never put to sleep officially, and during 2015 and 2016 the members entered the Patologian Laboratorio Studios in order to record a fifth full length album. FYI: that studio is owned by bass player / vocalist Aki ‘Grim666’ Klemm, who also runs the label Patologian Laboratorio Productions (PS: a rather small yet enormously interesting underground label with quite some excellent stuff to offer – so are Germany’s Wolfspell Records, the other label involved with this release).

Torn Cold Void is a four-track album, coming in a limited edition (I thought in 200 copies, but I just saw the number 500 on another source), a digipak that gets characterised, visually, by soberness. But believe me: that colourless soberness is part of the whole mystic and obscure identity of this Finnish four-man army. The four pieces last in between nine and twelve minutes, but seen the variety, this lengthy duration never bores at all.

The album opens with I Am Death, which starts with a semi-acoustic melody. That very same melody goes on, after about one minute, yet then again seen, sorry, heard from a much nastier angle. Indeed, quite soon everything turns towards a fast-paced, ultimately harsh and grim form of Black Metal, yet with a grandiose dose of melodic supremacy. The guitar riffs, bass lines and prominent leads bring forth a melodic basement that is both epic and atmospheric. This gets mercilessly supported by fabulous drum salvos (drummer Lima impressed me before with another fabulous outfit, Hautakammio), monstrous leads and solos, and inhuman but simply excellent screams.

This former paragraph sounds extremely positive, but what about the actual performance and the sound quality? Well, that execution, and evidently the related song writing / composing, is of a monumentally high level. It’s an expression of timeless, Scandinavian-oriented Black Metal of the purest kind, breathing the essence of the earlier Nineties, paying tribute to the origins of the European scene. Yes, I’m rather referring to the Second Wave trend than the First Wave, but I did mention ‘Scandinavian’, did I not?! So, do not expect a renewing album, for Torn Cold Void is not. But f*ck that – no, I won’t go deeper into the stupid urge and necessity to be ‘original’. Actually, this album exhales that victorious glory of True Black Metal, the majesty of greatness that gave birth to the worldwide, and timeless, supremacy. But in combination with a fabulous song writing and a unique performance, this just leads to a winner’s instinct.

Also the quality of sound is above average. I’ve been positive, more than once, about the audible results courtesy of the Patologian Laboratorio Studios before, and with this album this opinion simply gets strengthened. There’s a certain rawness going on, an unpolished and even rusty roughness. Indeed, that caresses the scene – what do I say – I mean that it is a necessity, terms to this kind of sonic satisfaction. But the balance within the mix is truly above average. No hollow elements, no unnecessary noises, no denigration of any instrument involved… Seriously, this production fits to, and strengthens, the final result.

So, if you like it harsh and intense at the one hand, yet quite epic and melodious at the other, you… No, what a silly conclusion. In short: a must, once again! Lathspell are majestic!

Kult! Hunk Kult!

Ivan Tibos.

90/100

Order Of The White Hand

Dirk — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 18:34:37 +0000

Artist:

Order Of The White Hand

Album Title:

Veren Muisto

Release Date:

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

Aki Klemm is one of the most active guys within the (current) Finnish (Black) Metal scene. Not only he owns the Patologian Laboratorio Productions and the Patologian Laboratorio Studio, but he’s active in several band and projects too: Grimirg, Oath, Lathspell, Hautakammio, Seal Of Beleth, and some others. For about all of them I did at least one review in the recent past, and there will be some more material being published in the near future (check it out via the ‘search’ option by entering one of these projects’ monikers, or enter the label’s name, or ‘Immortal Frost’). Usually he’s active under the pseudonym of Grim666, but in this band’s case, Order Of The White Hand, he has some releases as Immakkel. Besides, this project is the only one he does together with his brother Petteri aka Koomastroyer (doing the drum parts; before also performing some vocal parts).

Actually, Veren Muisto was the third Order Of The White Hand album, initially released in early November 2014 on vinyl via Sang & Sol Productions (it was this label’s first release). In April 2016 it got re-released on both tape (via Vanguard Productions) and of course via Aki’s own label, Patologian Laboratorio Productions (with slightly adapted cover artwork).

The album, which means something like ‘blood memory’, if I’m not misinformed, lasts for thirty-three minutes. Once again it brings very melodic Traditional Black Metal, epic in play, mid-tempo in speed, and grim in atmosphere. So, everything has been said…

I do have a ‘problem’ with the sound quality on Veren Muisto. To my grief it all sounds way too dense, too muddy, too under-mixed. That’s a pity for sure, for the grandiose bass lines, the fine epic, even victorious guitar melodies and the excellent drum patterns disappear in thin air. Only the vocals are hearable the right way. For this edition is a re-issue, I did hope for a re-mastered version, but unfortunately that is not the case. Is it so bad then? No, absolutely not, for the original production has been maintained. Yet still I am not satisfied at all.

When it comes to the song writing and the performance, on the other hand, I cannot but go into subjectives of glory and appreciation. Okay, there might be a certain lack of variation in between the individual epics, yet still this material defines the superior skills of band leader Aki. Order Of The White Hand expresses that specific niche that defines a victorious war-attitude, courtesy of the Nordic Viking-Black bands from the last decade of last century. All hymns drag and draw, for the heritage of our ancestors, and for the remembrance of the nineties’ scene as well.

March on, warriors of the North! Fight for the glory and the purity of our lands; we tolerate no poisonous blood on our soil!

Ivan Tibos.

81/100

Grimirg

Dirk — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:05:49 +0000

Artist:

Grimirg

Album Title:

Pioneer Anomaly

Release Date:

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

Undersigned was totally blown away (figuratively) by Grimirg’s debut album MMXV-I; check out the review that was published on December 13^th 2015. Both the project (Grimirg) and the label (Patologian Laboratorio Productions) are courtesy of Aki Klemm aka Grim666, for your information.

I’d like to skip a ‘full’ introduction this time, and go to the essence: the Aural Art provided under the banner of Pioneer Anomaly. The album; recorded in 2015 (I guess at Aki’s own Patologian Laboratory Studio), consists of two very lengthy tracks, Throvgh The Ageless Dvst (28:22) and The Grave Of Light (19:39). The artwork is cosmic-explosive (hey, dare not to disagree, okay…), but the destructive forces behind that visual concept are like an omen for the sonic execution to come.

Throvgh The Ageless Dvst takes off with an intro based on synths and a xylophone-alike thing, reminding me deeply to Lustre, before eventually getting joined by ultra-slow and minimal drums and a fine bass melody. Slowly on, step by step, everything evolves, and after three and a half minutes, we’re back to where the origins of Grimirg dwell around: the essence of fundamental and no-nonsense Funeral Doom in its purest sense. The very, very slow material is hugely melodious, partly caused by the majestic and melancholic lead guitar melodies. And then, those wretched grunts: ultra-deep, but I mean something like the really abyssal-like ultra-deepness from some bottomless pit.

Despite the length, there are plenty of things going on – there’s a constantly interactive play in between different emotions, influences, tempos (though, the latter varies from extremely slow to even more extreme slow)… Both tracks are quite cohesive in their execution, but despite the long duration and the un-speed, the whole experience is able to retain one’s attention (at least mine…). Once again the debut of Ahab and Until Death Overtakes Me (like those cymbals in The Grave Of Light) are references, injected by those Lustre-inspired details, resulting in a dense-foggy wall of Doom.

I will keep it short and simple this time. The essence of Funeral Doom can be defined, once again, by Grim666’s outfit Grimirg. Don’t expect progressive gimmicks or modern trends, but prepare for almost fifty minutes of desolation, desperation and pain. This is mesmerizing, ominous, un(der)worldly Aural Art the most magisterial way!

Ivan Tibos.

89/100

Order Of The White Hand

Dirk — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 10:14:14 +0000

Artist:

Order Of The White Hand

Album Title:

Veren Muisto

Release Date:

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

March on, warriors of the North! Fight for the glory and the purity of our lands; we tolerate no poisonous blood on our soil!

Ivan Tibos.

81/100

Grimirg

Dirk — Sat, 02 Jul 2016 20:47:43 +0000

Artist:

Grimirg

Album Title:

Pioneer Anomaly

Release Date:

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

Ivan Tibos.

89/100

Malum

Dirk — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:37:30 +0000

Artist:

Malum

Album Title:

Awakening Of The Black Flame

Release Date:

Friday, March 4, 2016

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

Malum are quite a young outfit by Finnish warrior Niko ‘Tyrant’ Lindell, who recently joined combos like Kalmankantaja and Infernarium (as vocalist). Since the start in 2013, he did record a couple of EP’s (Malum and Burning Trident) and one album (Crowned With The Serpent Sun). Recently he joined Patologian Laboratorio Productions’ roster (Kalmankantaja are on the very same label, so that might be the clue / glue; by the way, I will write and upload a review for this band’s newest release too in a very near future) in order to release the newest EP, Awakening Of The Black Flame. For this three-track release, Tyrant (vocals and guitars) was helped out by EV Virtanen (guitars), Valtteri Tuovinen (guitars and bass; involved with e.g. Infernarium and Daemonarchia), Harri ‘Beleth’ Hakala (drum; known from acts like Nightside and Vordven) and October Fall’s Mikko Lehto (the latter playing guest guitars on one track). The mini-album gets released in an edition of 200 copies, and the three songs last in between seven and nine minutes.

Opening track Will starts with a desolate introduction, yet quite soon it turns over to what this project stands for: playing energetic and quite traditional Black Metal. The basic riffs are quite fast, with both slower and blasting passages, and including a quite melodious yet highly epic structure. Indeed, the classic Scandinavian oriented essence prevails! Seen the length of the pieces, it’s not strange to notice quite some variety in speed, structure and approach, and seen the professional craftsmanship in song writing of Tyrant, plus the crafted execution of the whole horde, it’s not strange to notice quite some variety in speed, structure and approach either. Actually, there are quite some memorable, almost surprising excerpts. I do never dislike ‘traditional’ bands, at least when they do not spoil the essence, but only few bands are totally able to pay tribute to the origins and, at the same time, to bring something that simply stands out. This is such case. All three compositions are initially ‘traditional’, but all of them have a couple of excerpts that are just mind-blowing. It’s not the finesse of the fabulous equilibrium in different tempos, or the magnificent decent yet unpolished sound quality; it’s the whole package, including the few exceptionally outstanding chapters, that make Awakening Of The Black Flame so attractive. Formerly mentioned Will, as well as the doomier, even atmo-melancholic epic Ikuisen Vihan Tulessa (hail Solus, Hades, Forgotten Woods and early Satyricon!) or the furious title track are semi-classics, quite lengthy but permanently attractive and constantly bewitching.

Ivan Tibos.

90/100

v-KhaoZ

Dirk — Sun, 29 May 2016 20:41:35 +0000

Artist:

v-KhaoZ

Album Title:

Grey

Release Date:

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Label:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Distribution:

Patologian Laboratorio Productions

Review Type:

In order to make people comprehend their insignificant existence, Ville ‘v-KhaoZ’ Pallonen started this self-called project quite recently. This Finnish artist, formerly or currently also known from well-known outfits like Azaghal (!), Oath (in a very near future I will write and upload the review for their newest album, once again released via Immortal Frost Productions), Hiisi or Hin Onde, recorded this material during last year’s summer under a black sun. Ville took care of all instruments as well as the mix at the Chamber Of Desolation, though the drums were recorded with recording assistance of Oath’s frontman Aki ‘Grim666’ Klemm at his Patologian Laboratorio Studio. Aki runs the Patologian Laboratorio Productions-label, on which v-KhaoZ did release a split with Kalmankantaja; you can find the review for that recording on the update of December 24th 2015. Oh yes, Ville recently joined Kalmankantaja as drummer (here too: look out for the upcoming review for this act’s newest effort on Patologian Laboratorio Productions), and that outfit, Kalmankantaja, is one of the many that involves Aki. …almost incestuous…Oh yeah, the artwork is quite sober but truly ‘deep’, creating the visual aspect of v-KhaoZ’ Cold World. Grey is the colour…Grey for sure is a new step within the existence of v-KhaoZ’ vision. More than before, everything seems to be evolved towards a certain DSBM-alike trend. The compositions are highly melodic, implicating an atmosphere of desolation and grief. The material is quite guitar-based especially, with chilly and shrieking screams at the one hand, and prominent tremolo leads at the other, to characterise the core of the album. Quite some neo-symphonic synth elements too are like a characteristic definition of this album’s identity. Few acoustic parts, like the introduction on Dead Stars Falling, rather refer to the related origins of the Post-Rock current, and that’s one of the elements that surely reminds to this project’s co-operation on last year’s split. All hymns are constructed with a comparable basement, a fundament that covers aural finesse and no-nonsense obscurity of the most abyssal kind. Once again, the obscure keyboard orchestrations are quite typifying, nuancing the identity of this project with a sardonic grin. Once in a while I undergo hints of Cold Wave Metal ‘ish (indeed: what do I mean???) fairness, like in Blacksun Havoc, attracting and maintaining the listener’s attention firmly, permanently, uncomplicatedly. Within the ‘faster’ pieces one can even dream away into spheres of Post-Black alike dimensions – yet without the mechanical elements; it’s purely natural and organic right here!The sound quality, especially going for the first half of this album, cannot satisfy me, unfortunately. I adore an ‘underground’ production for sure, but in this recording’s case, the mix is way too weak. The vocals are so far away, the distinction in between lead melodies and rhythm guitars, as well as bass lines, is almost non-existent, and even the drum patterns are barely at the foreground. It’s a pity, it really is, for it minimalizes the fabulous hymns. Soberness is one thing (which I am willing to accept), dullness however is something else… My final score, being totally subjective and unimportant, withholds my opinion about that sound quality too, for what it’s worth… …can you imagine what the result might have been with a decent production???There are 200 copies, which is quite limited, so you better hurry up if you can ignore the inferior production - because this is (if you ignore the sound quality) not just an option yet a prominent recommendation!

Ivan Tibos.

85/100