Sweden's Veni Domine is here with their third excellent effort. The band has now a new line-up after bass-player Magnus Thormann left. Gabriel Ingemarson does bass now and keyboard-player Mattias Cederlund was added. Spiritual Wasteland follows the Veni Domine line of albums well, though it's not as doomy like Material Sanctuary. It still has the characteristic sound of the band due to the high range of vocalist Frederik Ohlsson and the theatrical song-structures. Like on previous albums there's lots of atmospheres created by keyboards, orchestrations and choirs. This is not overdone, though. Only sometimes changes come too sudden while they're building up an atmosphere. Therefore, the music ain't easy to digest. There's also the normal variety of fast and slow, of heavy and mellow and of dark and mysterious. Spiritual Wasteland contains long songs that are simply beautiful. Just listen to Hysterical History or Dawn Of Time to get an idea. The booklet is okay too with photos from their 1996 Massacre tour used. For any fan of heavy progressive metal, this album may not be missed in your collection.
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #74Reviewed by Doug Van PeltIt's a shame that this band is still without retail distribution in the USA, after their Fall Babylon Fall debut on R.E.X. several years ago. Like its previous two albums, Spiritual Wasteland takes the listener on a gothic and classic metal journey. While there's not an obvious storyline, there is the consistent outlook of sorrow and faithful survival of believers in a cold and controlled…
