By Gruesome Greg
The latest band to make it big in the new wave of occult rock (ie Ghost, Blood Ceremony), these Dutch demons have unleashed a lengthy, 76-minute Metal Blade debut upon the masses with this, their second album. Opening with a shuffling, ringing, haunting instrumental, you know you’re in for a hell of a ride…
Mind you, this band sounds like neither Ghost nor Blood Ceremony, more of a female-fronted Hawkwind, though the vocals will certainly draw comparisons to the latter. Hell, I guess there are some stylistic similarities with Living with the Ancients, though this record has more a space-rock vibe. And okay, many some of the vocal harmonies do recall BOC—or even Ghost, though it’s definitely a different vibe here. Hell, there are even some hardcore-meets-black-metal backing vocals on epic opener “On the Wings of Gloria.”
Though not every song here is exceedingly long, some do push the patience, like the nine-minute title track and the equally-long “The Madness of Sepents.” And then there’s the album closer, the 15+ minute “Feverdance,” which begins acoustically, guitars backed by theremin, but doesn’t really go anywhere, though we eventually do get a heavy riff or two. And much to my dismay, the six-minute “She” isn’t a KISS cover. (In fact, it ends with an orchestral flourish, of all things.) C’mon, that wouldda bin badass!
As it is, there are some solid sounds on here. But not being a prog-lover personally, I think they could probably stand to trim some fat.
(Metal Blade)
