Do you remember when you first started listening to music and buying records/tapes/cd's/whatever? Remember the feeling of overwhelming excitement and enthusiasm that accompanied each new purchase? As your collection grew over time, though, the excitement lessened somewhat to the point where it was barely recognizable at all. New music was still interesting and fun, but not the same as when it was all fresh and new. Well Immortal Souls has made me a kid again -- it's a good thing this came while my wife was gone 'cause the first couple times I heard it made me jump around like an idiot, after a few more listens I just smile, shake my head, and mutter "phenomenal..." under my breath after each track.
As with their Cleansing ep, style remains pretty much the same. Aggressive yet melodic, intricate yet accessible, this disc will be eaten up by both the musician and the average listener of black or death metal. "Frostmind" starts the album off with perhaps the most intricate fast-paced metal assault they've provided, "Painthings" finishes with their slow, personal, reflective piece, and in between lies everything in between! Of the 2 instrumentals, 1 is clean and pretty, while the other is more or less just another great song without the vocals.
Lyrically I agree with D_Lister completely. They've done a great job of not being dumb and trite about their lives and Christianity, although I still can't figure this whole cold weather love thing (I'm in Minnesota and let me tell you, I would NOT describe frostbite as "the cold lovebite").
Wrap all this up, anyway, and the first real nominee for album of the year is in. In fact, if they were a pop band, they'd win a Grammy, if they were a basketball player, they'd give them the MVP and Jim Rome would say they've got "mad skills", if they were a storm they'd be bigger than El Nino, if they were a dog they'd win Best in Show....
10/10
Other coverage for this album
Art for the Ears 2001Reviewed by Marco PovervestThe first time I got acquainted with this band's music, was through their four songs on the split-EP with black metal band Mordecai. Now the full length album with its ten songs is rotating in my CD player, making me wonder how much progress the band's made. With the first assault on my ears, I'm inclined to think the band moved on to black metal. Yet that's far from accurate. The opening track…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by NecRoSarXYahh! I just listened to perhaps one of the scariest death metal CDs I've ever laid my hands on! Keeping in mind that I use the term "death metal" a bit loosely, for this CD has elements of thrash, black and doom thrown into the pot here. I'll be honest in saying that when I first heard Immortal Souls on the split-CD they did with Mordecai, I wasn't that much impressed. Well, fortunately I put…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by D_ListerAlbums like this make me wish there was a higher rating I could go to. A perfect rating of 10 almost seems to be inadequate for a release like this. This CD is truly a masterpiece that will go down as one of Christian music's best CDs ever. It seems that the comparisons of In Flames and (some) Dark Tranquility are very accurate (keep in mind Dark Tranquility has been around for seemingly EVER and…Similar sounding releases
1998OpethMy Arms, Your Hearse
2003MortificationPower, Pain & Passion
2004A Faith Called ChaosForgive Nothing
2003Darkest HourHidden Hands of a Sadist Nation
2004Mortal TreasonA Call to the Martyrs
2001AmosGothic SoulMore from Immortal Souls
2000The Cleansing
1999Divine Wintertime / Through The Woods, Towards The Dawn
1997Reflections of Doom
2003Ice Upon The Night
