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Mar De Grises - Draining The Waterheart review




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Reviewer:
9.0

153 users:
8.51
Band: Mar De Grises
Album: Draining The Waterheart
Style: Doom metal
Release date: April 2008


Disc I
01. Sleep Just One Dawn
02. Kilómetros De Nada
03. Deep-Seeded Hope Avant-Garde
04. Fantasía
05. Wooden Woodpecker Conversion
06. One Possessed
07. Summon Me
08. Liturgia; Convite Y Prefiguración / Purgatorio / Diálogo Infierno

Disc II [Unconscious Passenger]
01. Unconscious Passenger

"Draining The Waterheart" will, I hope, be considered as the great return of the excellent Doom Metal band from Chile, Mar De Grises. Their first album was already acclaimed by the Doom Metal fans but I'm sure that "Draining The Waterheart" will push the band to the grade of "cult" Doom Metal combo. Definitely, in the Doom Metal scene, it's hard to find something so original and poetic, Mar De Grises is a unique band and I hope that you'll not miss their new masterpiece.

The big difference between Mar De Grises and a lot of other Doom Metal combos is that this band is really unique. It's hard to explain why but let's say that the music of Mar De Grises has of course a lot of personality but also something really magic in its sound. Between melancholic Doom, progressive music and even Post Metal, "Draining The Waterheart" is an amazing album. Mar De Grises is this kind of band which can give you shivers and which always gives emotions through its compositions. The ambiances of "Draining The Waterheart" are unique, really cold on a side but also really attractive and peaceful, really when I listen to this album I can pass from a really disturbing feeling to a really good and tender one. One more time be sure that the songs are long and really complex, the band uses to add a lot of different elements in their songs and even if it's Doom Metal, we're not so far away of Progressive and Psychedelic music like Post Rock and Metal stuff. "Draining The Waterheart" is deep with really great and original arrangements and despite the fact that the songs are long and tortured, they're never boring, if you like Doom and musicians which use their brain of course.

I will not say that Juan Escobar is better than the previous singer but he does a good job on his release and honestly one will not say that we have big differences between them (so if you like the first vocalist, you'll like new one too). The production of the album is good and one more time the artworks are sumptuous, even if the booklet is a bit simple and poor. On the other hand, the album is really homogenous, without being linear. The songs are all really good with excellent ambiances and beautiful melodies, "Draining The Waterheart" is probably even better than "The Tatterdemalion Express" which was already a great album.

"Draining The Waterheart" is a beautiful poetic album. The music of Mar De Grises is not aggressive, or too dark, this is simply poems on amazing melodies. It's hard to find a lot of original bands nowadays but Mar De Grises is one of them, so please if you like slow tempos and touching songs have a look on this new album, "Draining The Waterheart" is without any doubt one of most original and best releases of Doom Metal that we had the chance to listen to lately.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 10
Production: 8

Written by Jeff | 05.05.2008




Comments

Comments: 12   Visited by: 256 users
05.05.2008 - 18:44
Deadsoulman
Elite
Amazing, amazing album. You did well pointing out that this band is really unique, and I definitely agree with the fact that this album, just like the previous one, has "something really magic in its sound". I couldn't explain it either, but this band has an eerie universe of its own that you can't find anywhere else.
The only thing I regret is that I'm not discovering Mar de Grises with this album and so I was expecting such a grand release. The surprise effect isn't there anymore. That's the only thing I can say against this album But I guess the people who didn't hear The Tatterdemalion Express will be litterally blown away by "Draining The Waterheart".
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05.05.2008 - 18:51
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Great album and I can't wait to see them this Friday and hopefully pick upthe cd there as well.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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06.05.2008 - 19:06
FOOCK Nam
This one is masterpiece, I have not listened to their Tatterdemalion but this one is so good.
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06.05.2008 - 19:59
Southern Wind
Account deleted
I loved this album, just like this debut this shit is unique, touching and create dreamlike soundscapes. On the other hand, it is not The Tatterdemalion Express pt 2... Mar De Grises are a band I feel really close to, I had seen them live a lot of times and I follow them since their demo was released, so I feel really glad about their later success... the only bad thing about this album is the cover art, simply horrible, considering that the one of TTE was a masterpiece.
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07.05.2008 - 17:05
annodomini
The cover really reminds me Another Messiah album cover
What about Draining The Waters, it is absolutely Masterpiece, i have felt nothing like this from 2006 when Saturnus released "Veronika..."... And its far better than their debut album IMO.
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the riddle wants to be...
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10.05.2008 - 12:16
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Guest on 06.05.2008 at 19:59

... the only bad thing about this album is the cover art, simply horrible, considering that the one of TTE was a masterpiece.


At first I felt the same about the cover art, but I have come to like it and think it is very appropriate for the album title.
Okay only found out yesterday that it wasn't a camel/lama on the cover but actually a heart. But then again it seems I am not the only one who thought it was acamel/lama: Rodrigo (the guitarist of MdG) thought the exact same thing
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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10.05.2008 - 18:51
Southern Wind
Account deleted
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.05.2008 at 12:16

Written by Guest on 06.05.2008 at 19:59

... the only bad thing about this album is the cover art, simply horrible, considering that the one of TTE was a masterpiece.


At first I felt the same about the cover art, but I have come to like it and think it is very appropriate for the album title.
Okay only found out yesterday that it wasn't a camel/lama on the cover but actually a heart. But then again it seems I am not the only one who thought it was acamel/lama: Rodrigo (the guitarist of MdG) thought the exact same thing


Me too, actually, and I also thought I was the only one!
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03.06.2008 - 04:40
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
After having listened to it many many many times, althoug it is unique and brilliant, TTE was just a bit more brilliant. But... thi album surely makes the best Chilean band ever (yes bettter than Poema Arcanis although they are also great,) And having seen MdG live also helps here.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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06.10.2008 - 06:31
Rating: 9
Susan
Smeghead
Elite
Very acurate review Jeff! "..a beautiful poetic album. The music of Mar De Grises is not aggressive, or too dark, this is simply poems on amazing melodies." That sums it up exactly.
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"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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04.02.2009 - 22:07
Rating: 9
mdg.rodg
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.05.2008 at 12:16

Written by Guest on 06.05.2008 at 19:59

... the only bad thing about this album is the cover art, simply horrible, considering that the one of TTE was a masterpiece.


At first I felt the same about the cover art, but I have come to like it and think it is very appropriate for the album title.
Okay only found out yesterday that it wasn't a camel/lama on the cover but actually a heart. But then again it seems I am not the only one who thought it was acamel/lama: Rodrigo (the guitarist of MdG) thought the exact same thing


Hahaha Sure, looks like a bloody sheep. Maybe


Hello mates!
First of all, thx for your comments and support

About the artwork/cover art... Sadly the promo cd (retail edition) isn't the best, mainly because the original work was made for the official release. This was a Digibook A5 size, with double CD, and booklet. Then look different that the promo artwork, and absolutely different than the "internet cover"...
If you like, you can find some pics here (including some wallpapers):

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=73506398&blogID=454663593

Regards!
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21.02.2009 - 16:34
Dysmorfia
Account deleted
Well, I love Virgin Black and love their last album but after I listen Mar de Grises and they last work I decide to vote for them.
Now they are one of my fav. bands, I just can't explain how I feel when I listen to Mar de Grises.
The last album, I think, it's more atmospheric so for me it's terrific!.

Amo esta banda, demasiado, me emociona y lamentablemente me los perdí cuando tocaron en la Batuta (por problemas de salud)
Ojalá vengan a Coquimbo algún día.

Ah!!!, He escuchado su último trabajo una y otra vez xD.

Gracias Mar de Grises por su música!
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21.05.2011 - 02:23
Rating: 9
-DC-002-
Mastercommander
This album is really incredible. It has to stop, but I question why it does.

Fantasia is also one of the best ambient instrumentals I've heard, Ever!
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Coldgrits
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