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Anomalie - Refugium review




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Reviewer:
8.9

36 users:
8.03
Band: Anomalie
Album: Refugium
Release date: November 2015


01. In Fear Of Tomorrow
02. Spiritual Distortion
03. Untouched Walls
04. Between Reality And The World Beyond
05. Solace
06. Leaving Somnia
07. Freiflug 48° 23´ N, 16° 19' O
08. Refugium

When checking out the potential review list for albums here at MS I always look for "post" in the label/description, of course. Anomalie has "post metal" as one of its genre tags. Ok, I'm in. Not knowing anything about the band, I first did a little google searching before pressing play. Two important facts were discovered while meandering the internet. First, the band is a one-man band and second, he has worked with Harakiri For The Sky.

I say one-man band loosely because checking out the spread sheet on Anomalie, hailing from Austria, it lists a variety of studio/guest musicians. Heck, even the header on their MS page shows 6 men. So expecting a big sound from a major project is not out of the question. The founder of the band and project leader, Marrok, has played guitars and sung some backing vocals live with Harakiri For The Sky, a fellow partner signed to Art Of Propaganda records. Bingo, now I know what kind of din to expect on Refugium, the band's second release. I finally press play and there it is: A melodic/post black foundation teetering gently back and forth with metalgaze/shoegaze parts, and it sounds delicious.

Instead of using a fancy array of adjectives and a thesaurus to describe the music, the best way to this time is by using other bands as a crutch because it's too easy to pass up. I hear Insomnium, Fen, and Alcest at different points through out Refugium. Blast-beat and double-bass drums, tremelo-picked and gorgeously textured riffs, dense bass guitar, and death metal-ish growls for vocals. Acoustic guitars, clean singing, and electronics make occassional appearances. The sound is far from original, but is very contagious and done well. Alas, the post black guitar tone is my favorite mechanism on the album. Neige started it, Markus Siegenhort has perfected it, and Marrok lies somewhere in between.

Refugium is exactly the kind of album I am in love with at this particular juncture of my musical explorations. The songs are all different, memorable, and employ a distinctive blend of atmosphere. The clean, melodic sound melds together smoothly with brashness in a merely refreshing execution. I really can't say anything negative about the album. Maybe the lack of originality, but because this type of music has me so brainwashed, and when it's executed this well... did I say I am in love with this sound?

Live it and breathe it here.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 7
Production: 9





Written on 14.02.2016 by Be gentle, I never said I was any good at this!


Comments

Comments: 8   Visited by: 289 users
15.02.2016 - 00:16
hadriel

Well, you already had me sold at Harakiri for the Sky, then you had to go and mention all of those other bands that I love too . Definitely checking this out, nice review!
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15.02.2016 - 02:53
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
I'm not all that into this type of metal (not because I don't like it, just haven't listened much), but the Harakiri For The Sky association has definitely piqued my interest. I'll be getting to this soon, thanks for the review!
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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15.02.2016 - 11:50
K✞ulu
Seeker of Truth
I checked this album out because of a subtle reference to Lantlos, but it turned out to be really boring for me. Stopped at "Between Reality And The World Beyond"
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Savor what you feel and what you see
Things that may not seem important now
But may be tomorrow

R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner

Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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15.02.2016 - 21:16
Rating: 9
Risto
Wandering Midget
Anyone expecting the black in this to be as raw as Lantlos or (early) Fen will be disappointed. The catchy melodic sensibility reminds me of Ghost Brigade and Insomnium, but this is filtered through black metal instead. Best album in years to come out from this spectrum of bands.
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16.02.2016 - 01:08
flightoficarus
Stamp Tramp
I came back to this one a few times and just couldn't get into it. I think it's an album that many will like, just not my thing for some reason.
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Daily underground metal recommendations at Metal Trenches.
Listen to the Trench Talk podcast.
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16.02.2016 - 20:36
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Seems like something I might like

Will check it out.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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23.02.2016 - 05:41
Rating: 9
RockSplendid

Thank you for your review. I liked the album a lot! Such a valuable effort made by Marrok! I actually liked their previous album too but this one was an amazing post/black album!
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05.07.2016 - 12:38
VforIAmAVagina

Written by RockSplendid on 23.02.2016 at 05:41

Thank you for your review. I liked the album a lot! Such a valuable effort made by Marrok! I actually liked their previous album too but this one was an amazing post/black album!

Yes. This album was awesome. Especially from the "Solace" track to the end, you may find many fantastic pieces of golden music. "Solace" track was the best, I believe and "Refugium" as second
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