Hermeticum

Dæmonarch was a one-off side-project of four fifths of Portuguese gothic metal legend Moonspell released between the band's regular studio albums ''Sin/Pecado'' and ''The Butterfly Effect' in the late nineties'. While ''Hermeticum'' employs indeed a few diversified orchestral samples and eerie sound effects that could be found on those two Moonspell records, the backbone sound of this release goes back to the band's early years and even beyond when the band was still known as Morbid God. This record basically shows what Moonspell could have become after its critically acclaimed debut ''Wolfheart'' if the band had opted for a heavier instead of a mellower direction. ''Hermeticum'' is an atmospheric yet consistent and always focused gothic metal album with strong black metal influences.

If compared to Moonspell's early works, the folk influences and hints at Portuguese culture are almost completely absent and the record revolves essentially around occult lyrics written by Fernando Ribeiro when he was still a teenager and developing an obsession with the dark side of our world. The vocals sound clearly improved if compared to Moonspell's and Morbid God's first outputs. Fernando Ribeiro's harsh vocals are energizing, focused and technically convincing while his early extreme metal vocal efforts sounded often out of breath and arrhythmical as they were simply based on emotions. This time around Fernando Ribeiro doesn't just convince on an emotional but also on a technical level. This here might as well be the best vocal performance of his career.

Another trademark of this album are the cold yet powerful riffs and the blistering drum techniques that should please to any fan of underground black metal acts of the late eighties and early nineties. Still, the album doesn't only feature endless high-speed passages but at least as many mid-paced parts and also a few slow-paced bridges, codas and overtures. It's only the overall pace that is faster than what fans of Moonspell might be used to.

The diverse keyboards, samples, sound and vocal effects add a fittingly eerie and uneasy tone to several tracks of the album without taking too much space. To my positive surprise, these elements never sound artificial as it's the case for many amateurish black metal bands and they really add to the diversified details of this album.

The only then-active Moonspell member that didn't participate on this record was drummer Miguel Gaspar and instead of hiring a session musician, the project simply used a drum computer which isn't uncommon for black metal bands. While the absence of a real drummer and the sometimes unspectacular bass guitar add an amateurish charm to this album, the rhythm section is also the only element that can't fully convince on this otherwise very good output that includes nine great to excellent tracks that are best enjoyed as a whole.

If I had to single out particular tunes, my personal highlights would be ''Corpus Hermeticum'' and ''The Seventh Dæmonarch''. The first track opens with thundering drums and epic orchestrations inspired by mysterious neofolk sounds that build up a fairy atmosphere. The balanced vocals sound low and guttural in certain parts and hoarse and unchained most of the time. The song has many breaks with melancholic guitar solos, a short bass-driven part and calmer passages where the orchestrations take the lead. This is the only song on the album that includes memorable folk influences and a more distinctive bass guitar play. It's also an outstanding tune because every musician can showcase his talent in a balanced way. This quasi-title track is by far the most diversified tune on the album but it still sounds atmospheric, coherent and fluid. The track reminds me of a mixture of earlier outputs of Therion, Septicflesh, Samael, Empyrium and Crematory all at once. If the German gothic metal band The Vision Bleak had an extreme metal vocalist, they could actually sound close to this as well. Dæmonarch had more ideas for this song in less than five minutes than some entire Moonspell records. The latter song is an almost cinematic experience as it opens with sounds of wind and wuthering before epic orchestrations and choirs kick in and build up a horror atmosphere. This song evokes images of a black mess that has something purely natural yet preciously sacral. This profound mixture is garnished with the record's most beautiful and dramatic guitar solo and a slower bridge with spoken word passages and powerful choirs that send shivers down my spine. This song is one of the very best occult songs ever done and takes only the best influences from the dark ambient, black metal, gothic metal and psychedelic rock genres to merge them into something excitingly new.

If you care for occult music, imagery or art, Dæmonarch's first and only strike is an absolute must-have record even if you have to pay a more elevated price for this unfairly forgotten rarity that even most Moonspell fans don't seem to know. This record really deserves to see its name being spread and getting some more attention after all these years. This album is different enough from other Moonspell albums to deserve its own banner but if you like the usual gothic metal style of this band, you will also appreciate this little masterpiece. This album isn't as great as Moonspell's very best efforts such as ''Wolfheart'' but it's definitely at least on the level of ''Irreligious''. Let's hope that this record will get re-released anytime soon or that Moonspell's members bring this project back to life one day.

There is probably some sub-set of Moonspell's following that rued the band's decision to shift from their ritual black metal roots of Under the Moonspell and Wolfheart to a more Gothic rock-focused medium, and to these the one-shot side project Daemonarch must have come as some blessing, since it somewhat returns to those years of mystic, occult exploration. The lyrics to this were written when Fernando Ribeiro was but a teenager chasing Satan, though I assume they undertook some revision before this final project, but otherwise we are presented with an album worthy of Moonspell themselves, though perhaps not as memorable.

Hermeticum is a whirlwind of tribal drums, thick and simplistic metal chords and atmospheric keyboards suited to any orgy of the damned, or castle of treacherous, diabolic mysteries. But the band also incorporates a lot of dynamic exploration and some searing guitars that very much mirror their work on a Wolfheart or Irreligious. Through it all, they manage to somehow keep the writing fresh and catchy, especially on a few of the tunes that might have better served the band as standout tracks for their main band. This is all Moonspell members. In addition to Ribeiro, we had Sergio Crestana, Pedro Paixao and Ricardo Amorim in their recurring roles, and perhaps that is where the strength truly lies, in the cohesion of this band of morbid brothers.

"Corpus Hermeticum" is a favorite here for the very catchy use of the keyboards, both symphonic and 'cute' in that light, striking piano technique which flows off the swell of the guitars and orchestra hits with poppy precision. The haunting folly of "Samyaza" is perfect for any haunted house parlour, the vocals like those of some grave tending usher welcoming you to an abode of creeps and frolics. "Incubus" uses a great vocal atmosphere, Ribeiro delivering some of the most aggressive rasping of his entire career, and all manner of mysterious sounds at the edge of the perception beneath the solid beats and blood-glistening guitars. Then there is "The Seventh Daemonarch", a pretty steadily rising charger that would have fit in perfectly with Wolfheart, in particular the soaring, manly vocal force. The bleeding, desperate streams of opener "Lex Talionis" are also worthwhile.

In fact, there are really no stinkers across the whole album. It's all moody and effective work, though varying in the level of seriousness one might take it for. The band have also included a cover of Bathory's "Call from the Grave", set to a pompous level of production with requisite crashing percussion and some added depth. A good choice, and a good band to pursue a cover song (I love what Moonspell did with Depeche Mode's "Sacred"). Hermeticum sounds quite fantastic, a dark and fun trip through the band's devilish roots, which had at this time been supplanted in their main band for more 'relevant' fare (though still intelligent and well written). The lyrics might seem a little dire or primitive, but then that's the source from which they were inspired. I'd easily recommend this to a fan of any and all Moonspell up to Sin/Pecado.

-autothrall
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Daemonarch is a side project of the members of Moonspell, greatly talented artists who are best known for their versatility, so I didn’t knew what to expect from this album and more importantly from Daemonarch. I was over thinking the fact that they’ve done various style e.g. folk/black, gothic/black & gothic/doom as Moonspell then what has driven them to form another band and what new style they’ll be adding to their list? Its “black metal” with few heavy metal influences with good production.

I haven’t hear Fernando Ribeiro singing like this, I have listened Moonspell’s old stuff where his vocals were extreme but here they are as harsh & extreme as they can get. The guitars are amazing, very enjoyable, partially melodic riffs & solos creating very impressive atmosphere are a delight in the whole album. Keyboards take the music to new extraordinary heights, bass is barely audible but the drumming is fast (sometimes brutal), simply outstanding and it compliments the overall sound really well.

The lyrics are written by Fernando Ribeiro when he was 14 or 16 years old. The lyrics are not premature by any chance and are very well researched & very well written, it is all compilation of the ritual poetry that Fernando Ribeiro did taking his inspiration from his studies of occult & satanic philosophies. The lyrics are inspiring and contain some unique ideas.

All songs are brilliant (epic, brutal & majestic), there’s a cover song as well “Call From The Grave” an outstanding song by “Bathory” but Daemonarch’s version sounds better than the original. Look out for “The Seventh Daemonarch”, one of the best song I’ve heard in my entire life.

All extreme metal fans will love this album, each and every part of it, it’s a must for black metal fans, fans of bands like Mercyful Fate will also find this album interesting & amazing.