| The Omen trilogy divided in 3 chapters (the
revelation- the omen - the deduction) seems to be the topic which
inspires the whole album of the German Black Metallers Mystic
Circle, a band that so often divided the opinions, sometimes
hard criticized, sometimes praised. Mystic Circle are now a trio,
without keyboarder, and this is their fifth studio album. This is
to say that the band is evolving, gathering experiences,
solving problems. Under this point of view the new production
should reflect this kind of dynamics and indeed Damien is a more
mature work. And indeed methinks that Mystic Circle are very
engaged now in showcasing themselves not only, or even better, no
longer as image band, but on the contrary as a band that can
create good music. The first thing that is hitting me, when
listening to this album is that their Black is clearly melodic,
but with a burst towards fast aggressiveness. Nevertheless some
tracks and some passages sound even catchy, like for example the
fast but agreeable, gloomy and atmospheric Servants
of twilight. Well, one could wonder if mystic Circle are
playing a pure Black Metal. I don't think and maybe Darkthrone's
fans too don't find this music as a canonic Black. Mystic Circle
themselves declare that the expression " Dark Satanic
Metal" would represent better their music, extreme dark
oriented, with recurrent anti-Jesus Christ themes, with many
characteristics of the Black, but very opened to other metal
genres like Death and Dark Atmospheric. It's the trend in
order to enrich the Black sub-genre with fresh winds coming from
outside. And as a result, we have here another album , that though
trying to be extreme and without compromises, actually is not so
extreme and there are compromises that anyway don't spoil
the work, which can be heard by a wide audience, thing that
is always desirable. Typical good stressed and fast Black schemas
united with persistent assaults are hiding a sweeter heart that
will keep the listeners interested, a kind of struggle between
good and evil, that is not only to be found in the lyrics but also
in this musical tension between melody and fast blastbeats
.
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| The keyboard contribution is reduced,
so that we don't have that sometimes annoying keyboard backscape ,
in this way drums are coming more in foreground and,
obviously, guitars too . Pity that, in general, we don't
hear from guitars nothing exceptional if not the usual and
typical average work of the Black guitar-soundscape. Another minus
of this album is that the tracks are not that much varied, a
little bit too uniform, united to the fact that drums
are blasting yes but maybe too uniform , and above all too
perfect like they were produced by a drummachine.
Nevertheless the sound anyway succeeds in being really impressive,
this is a sign that the production has done really a good work. An
interesting thing is that the song Armageddon
War (the last one of the Omen chapter and one of my
fav of this cd) shows true Death Metal riffs, and some Death
flavours can be heard also in The Image of
the Antichrist, which , among other things, presents a very
brusque end. In Kingdom of Blasphemy,
one of the most varied among the tracks, there are catchy
Heavy proceedings united with dark atmospheric inserts. Every
chapter begins with a short instrumental presentation,
and, among the 3 ones, the first (this is to say the opener of the
whole album) is very atmospheric and lets grow the feeling that
you will face some impending curse. More or less all other tracks
of the chapters are rather linear but effective, fast and
energetic , rough, and in a way, less mystical but angrier and
resolute. On the whole, Damien is a good album: accessible to many,
thanks its incorporated melodic refrains and its penetrating
influences from other sub-genres, but it will anyway
not disappoint the harder metalheads thanks to its percussion and
its speed, in contrast with the bass and heavy growlings. And
obviously Mystic Circle fans will be satisfied cause this album is
more than a confirmation. This Dark Satanic Metal, or whatever, is worth
to be bought and heard, though without standing ovations.. The
only thorny question could be the following: which trilogy is
better: the movie, or this album?
rating
8.5/10
dalia di giacomo
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