I'd been hearing a lot about this release. I became more interested after listening to a few sound bites and hearing the prog feel to it, but not enough to spend twenty dollars. When it turned up for $3.49, though, I wasted no time in snatching it up. I wasn't disappointed, as I was treated to a great progressive metal feast which, although metal, focuses on melody rather than mindless distortion. It flows like classical music, with wonderful guitar work on the level of Dream Theater, Threshold, Shadow Gallery, and Teramaze. The solos serve a purpose within the songs, instead of just feeding the guitarist's ego. And while I freely admit growling vocals aren't usually my style, it's okay because the main focus is on the music here. Also, in this case the lyrics are interesting enough to make that extra effort to appreciate the vocals:
Like the dust in the wind
A man's heart goes unseen
His labors forgotten at the threshold of time
The grass withers, the flower fades
But the word of his testimony stands forever
The man's honor was his love
Faithfulness - his pledge
(from "The Last Creed")
It would have been well worth $20. If your tastes run to progressive metal, don't waste any time picking up this import.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Josh SpencerThis album has actually been out for more than a year, but that's how long it took for me to be persuaded to spend the extra cash on this doom/death import from Norway. Someone told me it reminded them of Amorphis' classic Tales From the Thousand Lakes. Yeah right, I thought (but look, I bought it!). And lo and behold, these guys are astounding! It's like a metal symphony, rhythms and riffs…Critical Mass #0Reviewed by Tom EdmondsonThere is a new generation of Doom metal bands that hail mostly from outside of the United States. Some of them are: Anathema, Celestial Season, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, etc. There aren't too many bands in the Christian music field of this genre--at least that we know of. The only bands that come to mind are: Paramaecium, Veni Domine, and now, Schaliach. Since I believe that doom is by far…Similar sounding releases
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