1348

The first thing I really have to say about this album, is that I want love it, I really do but I don't love it that much. It is an interesting experimentation in the pagan black metal subgenre but I've heard pagan black more energetic and worth listening. Being that this is the debut album I won't give it too much criticism, but it's definitely not a masterpiece. This album kinda sounds a lot like if Carach Angren's vocalist had deeper cleans and threw in chants and dissonant yet somewhat relaxing melodies as well as completely changing their genre. They definitely did a good job relating the PAGAN side, but the metal side is a little off balanced. There are vocals that are (Somewhat) tolerable but can get on one's nerves pretty easily, to me the vocals remind me of Silencer but not as dramatic, they are somewhat suitable for the genre.

The music kinda grows monotonous over long while of listening, and can kinda make me question why exactly I'm listening to it. I like the album because it's a bit different from most pagan black releases and it kinda gives me more variety in the genre without hybridizing it with something like Symphonic, Atmospheric or Epic Black Metal. If it wasn't for the experimentation, I'd fuckin' hate this album and it'd be getting only have of the rating I am giving it. The album contains 9 tracks, all pretty monotonous and substandard but still has some things I like about it. If it wasn't free, I wouldn't have wasted that much money on it, cause let's be honest with each other, do you buy an album before you listen to it? I hope not because it would be foolish. The thing I dislike most about this album is the balance between the metal sound and melodic/pagan sound is severely imbalanced and makes it difficult to enjoy. I don't like how the melodic sound COMPLETELY outweighs the metal sound, if I am listening to black metal, I want it to sound like.. well black metal! Don't you think?

Aside from the bad or negative qualities this album has, it's a fairly decent release. I mean, I like that it is melodic and pagan influenced but the melodies covering a much larger portion of the album than the actual black metal does is what my problem is. Another positive thing to be noted about this album is that the chanting harmonies add a sort of "chill" to it and increase the interest or fascination of most listeners. The album was released in 2005 through Griffin Music, and it is somewhat lacking in artistry too. The album cover is well done, but it's lacking creativity and it seems kind of bland to look at. The background is really dull and isn't very appealing to new listeners, which is what kinda threw me off at first.

The songs vary in length which makes the album somewhat tolerable to listen to all in one sitting, so you get a good barrage of 6, 4, 7, 5, and a single 3 minute track opposed to the other longer length songs. Each song is stylistic in it's own way but yet somehow remains monotonous and kind of dreary to be honest, I want variety and balance rather than every song on the album sounding so similar, especially since the vocals are EXACTLY THE SAME IN EVERY FUCKING SONG! The album is good for being one of a kind, which is sorta cool but the music isn't as interesting as what I am saying makes it sound. This album is more plain pagan metal than pagan black, which is kinda disappointing because I expected more from it.

I really really love pagan black metal, but this album just isn't my cup of tea, plainly because it's boring and doesn't sound much like black metal to be quite honest. I mean, it is an okay album and I will give it that. It's definitely not great nor a masterpiece, and I highly recommend checking other bands before giving this band a listen, it's definitely not the greatest. But anyways, until next time my fellow metal brothers!

This Speculum Mortus release is nothing short of amazing. Combining asmospheric sounds, blasting drums, tortured vocals, depressive guitar riffs and production that is vaguely similar to that of earlier Burzum, the first thing that comes to mind is how well Speculum Mortis sets the atmosphere. The album takes you back to medieval times, to the time of the pest in Italy and details the events that played out. Each song is named aptly to the theme it covers. Starting off with the brilliant prelude "1347", it moves through the times of the pest until the outro "1350".

Like I said before, the real beauty of this album is the atmosphere it sets and the macabre theme it covers. In every song there are atmospheric interludes to be heard, and when the actual music comes in you couldn't have expected anything different. Every single riff, drumline and verse fit so well with the theme that there is no way this album could have been improved.

Hopefully there will be plenty more to see from Speculum Mortis in the future.