While Heaven Wept - Of Empires Forlorn review
Band: | While Heaven Wept |
Album: | Of Empires Forlorn |
Style: | Doom metal |
Release date: | 2003 |
01. The Drowning Years
02. Of Empires Forlorn
03. Voice In The Wind [Jane cover]
04. Soulsadness
05. Epistle No. 81 [Candlemass cover]
06. Sorrow Of The Angels
07. From Empires To Oceans
True doom metal: people either love it or loathe it. If you belong to the second category, don't read further, because that's exactly what While Heaven Wept is doing. They are trying to ressuscitate old memories full of eerie names like Candlmass, St Vitus... And the result is simply excellent.
This band is led by the exceptional and powerful voice of Tom Phillips, who could perfectly fit in any heavy metal band, but has chosen to put his vocal abilities at the service pf genuine lamentations instead. And it's a very good idea, for the guy is able to provide us with wonderful vocal melodies, like on 'Epistle No.81'. For once I'm even glad the vocals have been mixed louder than the music. It is undoubtedly their strongest feature. Phllips can be lyrical, charming and growl sometimes... Goo job man!
The music itself is quite common but absolutely not unpleasant. It is slow-paced, very heavy but still extremely melodic, with keyboards here and there to enhance the impression of serenity that surround Of Empires Forlorn. Far from the vociferations of doom/death, they even have the luxury to give us a beutiful ballad ['Voices In The Wind']. To sum up, these Americans are well-inspired, and they know how to spread their sadness.
Doom metal is here to make people share the band's feelings, and in this point of view, this album is a success, one of those that stay in your mind long after you removed the cd from your stereo. Actually I only reproach the short length of Of Empires Forlorn: 7 songs, 41 minutes, minus 7 minutes of boring atmospheric stuff... It's enough to lower the final rating. Beyond that, doom fans, you know what oyu have to do...
Highlights: Voice In The Wind, Epistle No.81
Rating:
8.5
8.5
Rating: 8.5 |
When I receive records, I classify them, to see which one I'm going to hear/review first, when they're albums that I've been expecting, I listen to them immediately , but when they're unfamiliar bands I classify them. How classify them? Simply, the nicer cover arts go on the top, and the ugly ones goes on the bottom. When I received While Heaven Wept - Of Empires Forlorn I went straight to the top. Read more ›› |
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