So Satyricon and Chthonic. Lachryma Christi got to the venue early enough to get a very good spot just on the front, which was a very bad idea. Cthonic is a great band, full of energy, full of good tunes. and the vocalist is such a great frontman. It had everything to be an amazing show, if it wasn't for the sound that was almost terrible. The drums were just too loud, really perturbing, after two songs it was completely impossible to stay on the front. Just too much trepidation and everything else was very bassy. The voice at the beginning was really low as well, so it was all lacking balance, was really really disturbing. Lachryma Christi went a bit back, it was not very easy to walk around because the venue was packed, the show was sold out. It was easier a few rows back but still not good. Sadly, because Chthonic deserved much better than that.
Satyricon wasn't much better in terms of sound, only on the third song the sound was sort of OK, but only really in the back of the venue, almost on the exit door. Everything was too loud, especially again the drums, just horribly loud. Guitars were hard to hear.
Sadly Satyricon didn't play many classics, they didn't play many songs from the first albums, which is a pity. As a "cult" band that they still are, this was a shame. They still have it in them, they still manage to keep up a good show, very lively, very interactive, public was mostly satisfied, Satyr is still great, all his jokes, his posture, all his performance on stage is just awesome and the rest of the band keeps up with it, but the hits were missing. It is easy to accept the bad sound when a band plays all the songs you want to hear, and it is easy to accept the lack of hits when you can hear everything perfectly well. Now when both things are missing, it is really bad.
The encore had three songs, two of which Mother North and Fuel for Hatred, which were really the two only songs that made 90% of the public to react. And even with three guitars, it was hard to hear the riffs and melodies in Mother North, due to the confusing sound and due to the loud drums.
Hard to understand how the sound could be so wrong, Lachryma Christi has been in this venue in other situations, for pleasure, not for work, but still, and it wasn't this bad. Hopefully next time Satyricon and Chthonic will be more lucky on their shows in London, with hits or not, and hopefully next show in O2 Islington Academy will have a better sound, regardless the bands.
Lachryma Christi has no pics for this. If you have some, and if you wish to share them, you can always leave a comment with a link, or if you want to see them posted together with this article (they will be credited of course), you can e-mail lachrymachristizine@gmail.com
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Review: Inferno's "Omniabsence Filled By His Greatness"
Black Metal band from Czech Republic Inferno have a new album for us, through Agonia Records called Omniabsence Filled By His Greatness.
As you must know, Inferno are around for a long time already. Almost 20 years to be more precise. They really are very respected among Black Metal world.
Omniabsence Filled By His Greatness has six tracks, all of them on the same line, all of them really angry and full of aggressiveness Everything is quite fast, everything is quite Black Metalish, but you can find there some elements that bring to it a very special atmosphere. There are sounds at bits that make their songs different even if traditional.
It is a masterpiece in fact, and even never leaving the depressive and mad and strong side of proper Black Metal, they end up making it their own style anyway.
This album has bass lines played by guests Beldaroh (Besatt) and O. (concert member of Inferno).
If you like proper traditional Black Metal but also want to be surprised by some unexpected melodies and details that make it become unique, here is the album for you.
Everyone should give it a listen, it is really good stuff, very professional, very tuned, very sober, very together, very well done.
As you must know, Inferno are around for a long time already. Almost 20 years to be more precise. They really are very respected among Black Metal world.
Omniabsence Filled By His Greatness has six tracks, all of them on the same line, all of them really angry and full of aggressiveness Everything is quite fast, everything is quite Black Metalish, but you can find there some elements that bring to it a very special atmosphere. There are sounds at bits that make their songs different even if traditional.
It is a masterpiece in fact, and even never leaving the depressive and mad and strong side of proper Black Metal, they end up making it their own style anyway.
This album has bass lines played by guests Beldaroh (Besatt) and O. (concert member of Inferno).
If you like proper traditional Black Metal but also want to be surprised by some unexpected melodies and details that make it become unique, here is the album for you.
Everyone should give it a listen, it is really good stuff, very professional, very tuned, very sober, very together, very well done.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Review: Handful of Hate's recent album "To Perdition"
Handful of Hate are now celebrating 20 years of career and they just released yesterday their 6th album called To Perdition, through Code666 Records.
It is hard to describe the album with words. It is good. Much aggressiveness in 11 tracks.
This is very traditional, very pure Black Metal. Actually the band is quite known for their perfect Black Metal music.
Maybe To Perdition has some Death Metal influences. Still, Lachryma Christi thinks this is very Black Metalish with everything it involves.
So there are the ultra fast drums, the very suffered voice, the high pitched guitar riffs and rhythms, the melodies here and there, everything very raw and sober, with a very good production as well, not the "raw" as in bad quality or anything, everything is perfectly easy to hear and understand, no mistakes, nothing wrong in there. It is not different of what they have been doing though, following the same line of other of their releases, and following the traditional way of Black Metal itself.
So if this is your kind of thing, don't worry, you will be completely satisfied after you hear it. If not your thing, give it a go anyway, you may like it. It is addictive, it is the kind of thing you want to hear over and over again. Good stuff.
It is hard to describe the album with words. It is good. Much aggressiveness in 11 tracks.
This is very traditional, very pure Black Metal. Actually the band is quite known for their perfect Black Metal music.
Maybe To Perdition has some Death Metal influences. Still, Lachryma Christi thinks this is very Black Metalish with everything it involves.
So there are the ultra fast drums, the very suffered voice, the high pitched guitar riffs and rhythms, the melodies here and there, everything very raw and sober, with a very good production as well, not the "raw" as in bad quality or anything, everything is perfectly easy to hear and understand, no mistakes, nothing wrong in there. It is not different of what they have been doing though, following the same line of other of their releases, and following the traditional way of Black Metal itself.
So if this is your kind of thing, don't worry, you will be completely satisfied after you hear it. If not your thing, give it a go anyway, you may like it. It is addictive, it is the kind of thing you want to hear over and over again. Good stuff.
Review: Cult of Erinyes' recent album "Blessed Extinction"
Black Metal band from Belgium, Cult of Erinyes have recently released a new album through Code666 Records called Blessed Extinction.
Even though this band is sort of recent (formed in late 2009), they are really good. They seem to be really experienced with working together, as if they had been playing together for decades. They have also been quite active with their recordings, releasing something every year.
This new album, Blessed Extinction is really great. It has 8 tracks, all of them very full of power and aggressiveness. From times to times it is possible to hear a less angry bit, and it is possible to hear clean voices which match the whole thing really well. Sometimes even more experimental parts come, leading you into a really pleasant and at the same time sort of strange journey. It is incredible how a band with such a "short" career and discography sound so united and amazingly perfect.
So if you like a good dose of throaty and dragged voices with strong and furious blast beats and with fast and rhythmic guitar riffs, this is for you. Alternating with also a good dose of melody and suffering and clean melancholic voice, of course. It is really good, not very extraordinary it what comes to originality, but really good stuff, good Black Metal, good music, good musicians, good atmosphere, good influences, only goodness there. Don't miss it.
Even though this band is sort of recent (formed in late 2009), they are really good. They seem to be really experienced with working together, as if they had been playing together for decades. They have also been quite active with their recordings, releasing something every year.
This new album, Blessed Extinction is really great. It has 8 tracks, all of them very full of power and aggressiveness. From times to times it is possible to hear a less angry bit, and it is possible to hear clean voices which match the whole thing really well. Sometimes even more experimental parts come, leading you into a really pleasant and at the same time sort of strange journey. It is incredible how a band with such a "short" career and discography sound so united and amazingly perfect.
So if you like a good dose of throaty and dragged voices with strong and furious blast beats and with fast and rhythmic guitar riffs, this is for you. Alternating with also a good dose of melody and suffering and clean melancholic voice, of course. It is really good, not very extraordinary it what comes to originality, but really good stuff, good Black Metal, good music, good musicians, good atmosphere, good influences, only goodness there. Don't miss it.
Review: Empyrium's "Into the Pantheon"
For those who don't know, Into the Pantheon is a live album of Empyrium that came out in August through Prophecy Productions. In June 2011, Schwadorf and Helm played their very first show at the Wave Gotik Treffen in the Pantheon of Volkspalast Leipzig. They put together a great line-up for this gig consisting of Konstanz (The Vision Bleak), Neige (Alcest), Eviga
(Dornenreich), Fursy Teyssier (Les Discrets), Aline Deinert (Neun
Welten) and Christoph Kutzer (Remember Twilight).
The show lasted about 70 minutes and it was recorded to be released now as an audio CD. It also has a documentary of more than 100 minutes which provides a detailed account on the band's past through interviews with Schwadorf, Helm and the live musicians.
For people who are familiar with Empyrium, this album won't be a surprise, it is very much their thing, it is very similar to what they show us in the albums. Really good, their natural mix of genres, from their folk influences to their Black Metal influences.
Everything sounds great, quality is very nice, all the musicians are just amazing at what they are doing, and it really makes you feel as if you really wanted to be there at the time it happened. In fact, Lachryma Christi was invited to be present at Empyrium gig in Berlin in a few days, but sadly that won't be possible. But hopefully, in the future there will be opportunities to see them live.
It is just awesome how they all sound so focused and public sounds so amazed by their performance!
So, if you are a fan of Empyrium, go for Into the Pantheon, it is really really beautiful, a really impressive release. If you are not a fan but like this kind of classical, folk, nature influenced music, with bits of heaviness here and there, go for it.
Please, find a teaser video for Into the Pantheon here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOqhJDa38G0&feature=youtu.be
The show lasted about 70 minutes and it was recorded to be released now as an audio CD. It also has a documentary of more than 100 minutes which provides a detailed account on the band's past through interviews with Schwadorf, Helm and the live musicians.
For people who are familiar with Empyrium, this album won't be a surprise, it is very much their thing, it is very similar to what they show us in the albums. Really good, their natural mix of genres, from their folk influences to their Black Metal influences.
Everything sounds great, quality is very nice, all the musicians are just amazing at what they are doing, and it really makes you feel as if you really wanted to be there at the time it happened. In fact, Lachryma Christi was invited to be present at Empyrium gig in Berlin in a few days, but sadly that won't be possible. But hopefully, in the future there will be opportunities to see them live.
It is just awesome how they all sound so focused and public sounds so amazed by their performance!
So, if you are a fan of Empyrium, go for Into the Pantheon, it is really really beautiful, a really impressive release. If you are not a fan but like this kind of classical, folk, nature influenced music, with bits of heaviness here and there, go for it.
Please, find a teaser video for Into the Pantheon here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOqhJDa38G0&feature=youtu.be
Review: Nhor's latest album "Within The Darkness Between The Starlight"
For those who don't know, Nhor is a British project.
In August Nhor released a new album through Prophecy Productions called Within The Darkness Between The Starlight.
This is a very special and at the same time strange music. Switches from piano melancholic melodies to furious Black Metal, and the good thing is that it all makes sense, the way the compositions are made, the sequence, is all perfect. It is really really good, very inspired on nature, very honest. A really interesting and passionate work by someone who does everything in the project and very well. This is a very sober release, full of goodness, it is impossible to not like it. It is just perfect!
Give Nhor a go, it deserves that and so much more! Absolutely no regrets after listening to this.
Lachryma Christi tried to name the most remarkable track but it is impossible. It is all just too good, too emotional, too strong, too powerful and full.
In August Nhor released a new album through Prophecy Productions called Within The Darkness Between The Starlight.
This is a very special and at the same time strange music. Switches from piano melancholic melodies to furious Black Metal, and the good thing is that it all makes sense, the way the compositions are made, the sequence, is all perfect. It is really really good, very inspired on nature, very honest. A really interesting and passionate work by someone who does everything in the project and very well. This is a very sober release, full of goodness, it is impossible to not like it. It is just perfect!
Give Nhor a go, it deserves that and so much more! Absolutely no regrets after listening to this.
Lachryma Christi tried to name the most remarkable track but it is impossible. It is all just too good, too emotional, too strong, too powerful and full.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Review: Recently released split Helrunar / Árstí∂ir Lífsins "Fragments - A Mythological Excavation"
This split came out a bit ago already, more precisely in July, through Prophecy Productions.
It is an amazing work, two tracks, from the bands Helrunar and Árstí∂ir Lífsins. It is really good, really classical if we can put it this way.
Helrunar song called Wein für Polyphem, is around 15 minutes long. It is beautiful. It has an intro featuring a female voice, singing a melancholic chant, really strange and magic. You can also hear a background sound that seems to be the sea. After around 1:50 minutes of this special intro, a male chorus takes over, always with the same background sound. It is really hypnotic. Really really interesting. Keeps you hooked. After 3 minutes of quiet and dreamy music, finally comes the awaited Black Metal part. All of it makes a great composition, everything matching and really sounding very good as a whole. The Black Metal part is heavy, fast, furious, really great, amazing throaty voice, really powerful, and a bit later on you can count on some doom bits together with male chorus. It is really good. Really makes your imagination go wild.
Second song by Árstí∂ir Lífsins called Vindsvalarmál is a bit longer, around 19 minutes, but on the same line. Starts with something that sounds like wind, and a sad romantic violin melody. Again, after 1:50 minutes of introduction it changes, and there come words, male voice reciting and in a bit comes a very furious and aggressive music, really great, really majestic, so hard to describe in words!
Everyone who hasn't heard this work yet, please do a favor to yourselves and do it. It is really great, one of the best things that came out this year! It has everything you can dream of, from melody, to anger, with all that these things mean.
It is an amazing work, two tracks, from the bands Helrunar and Árstí∂ir Lífsins. It is really good, really classical if we can put it this way.
Helrunar song called Wein für Polyphem, is around 15 minutes long. It is beautiful. It has an intro featuring a female voice, singing a melancholic chant, really strange and magic. You can also hear a background sound that seems to be the sea. After around 1:50 minutes of this special intro, a male chorus takes over, always with the same background sound. It is really hypnotic. Really really interesting. Keeps you hooked. After 3 minutes of quiet and dreamy music, finally comes the awaited Black Metal part. All of it makes a great composition, everything matching and really sounding very good as a whole. The Black Metal part is heavy, fast, furious, really great, amazing throaty voice, really powerful, and a bit later on you can count on some doom bits together with male chorus. It is really good. Really makes your imagination go wild.
Second song by Árstí∂ir Lífsins called Vindsvalarmál is a bit longer, around 19 minutes, but on the same line. Starts with something that sounds like wind, and a sad romantic violin melody. Again, after 1:50 minutes of introduction it changes, and there come words, male voice reciting and in a bit comes a very furious and aggressive music, really great, really majestic, so hard to describe in words!
Everyone who hasn't heard this work yet, please do a favor to yourselves and do it. It is really great, one of the best things that came out this year! It has everything you can dream of, from melody, to anger, with all that these things mean.
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