Dame Silú De Mordomoire "A World Of Shadows" (2020)

 

 Introduced via an operatic indulgence on Erang's gloomy levitation Despair, I had to seek out the French singers solo material. Dame Silú De Mordomoire is not just a powerful voice but an enthusiast of Dungeon Synth, composing vivid instrumentals, melding melodic Fantasy and weighty Neoclassical into a Medieval nostalgia. A World Of Shadows plays through diverse shades of imagination, venturing upon unique constructs shaped by deeply dramatic singing. Its a worldly experience tinged in a lightly Gothic veneer. unlike much I've heard before it. Perhaps the esoteric leaning Dead Can Dance arrangements with Lisa Gerrard may come close.

Its strengths are varied, Fantasy elements toy in the dance of bright, playful instruments exchanging melodies yet rarely a fresh delight. Its the brooding stretches of dark and empirical tunes that dazzle. Grim Banners a keen example of militant led percussion heard before yet her deep bellowing voice finds a fresh touch of magic. From heavenly and Ethereal, she descends into solemn emotions, epic, sorrowful and weighty. On occasion, even turning to ghostly apparitions and Orcish growls.

Given the albums diverse nature, moods do chop and change, pivoting between songs. Subsequently its special chemistry in voice and instrumental feel fractured upon the records flow. I'm left fascinated by the darkly compositions yet stumped with a sense that a higher grandiose lays in weight. A strange reaction to such a stroke of brilliance with a stale genre. Maybe it speaks volumes to my personal fatigue, or perhaps Erang plucked some of that yearning charm on their duo Despair.

Rating: 7/10

Anthemon "Kadavreski" (2005)

A while back I picked out "Dystopia", an all time favorite record of mine, to cover here on the blog. It occurred to me that Id never given their other records much attention. I picked out the follow up record, and subsequently their last, to listen too. It has a very familiar pallet with similar tones, the acoustic and distortion guitars, the operatic vocals and a wall of symphony through the electronics all feel very much of the same page, the only difference are some rougher guttural growls on the opener.

Consisting of four tracks the record opens up with an ambitious 23 minute piece that develops from a majestic traveler into a dark and hasty aggressor accompanied by vicious growls and hammering snare drums as the track unravels back and forth between somber acoustics and doom drenched crawlers crying out unsettled melodies over thick, symphonic chords plastered in distortion guitar. The progression is ever shifting in direction like schizophrenia, as if fighting between different parallels. At around fifteen minutes the song breaks its form with a lush, dreamy laden of piano sweeping in fast flowing, gorgeous form before confining itself to a simple melody that sets a tone for the final part of the track that fails to make sense, or climax the song with any meaning.

The lack of direction or cohesion gives this one an unusual taste, despite being a little erratic and shifting, whatever is taking place sounds great for the most part. The group deliver a similar taste of melody and mood to the predecessor, but not the song structure and emotional narrative. The following songs feel second fiddle to the colossal opener and feel easier to digest and understand in their small length, despite continual shifting mood, melody and tempo that turns in a heart beat. The final track "Weight Of The Feather" has the simplest of song structures present and from the mid point draws the record to a close with a big crunchy riff chugged over and over as the growing magnitude of symphony is cut short by the strike of a gong.

"Kadavreski" is a confusing record, one that's hard to form an opinion on. Its ambitious opener doesn't sit right with the other three songs and they all shift and turn a little to fast to follow. That being said at all times the record provides a lush dense wall of swallowing sound to get lost in, with moody brooding melodies leading the way.

Rating: 6/10

Anthemon "Dystopia" (2004)

Today we write about a personal classic, an album thats been with me for many years and has also been a little bit of a mystery as to how I actually found my way to this one, but over the years it's served as a record I can revisit time and time again. Anthemon were a French band from Paris who fused Symphonic Doom Metal with a operatic vocals, with a distinct sensibility for tuneful, moving melodies and lush, glacial atmospherics that gave them an identity unique to anyone who has been lucky enough to stumble across this now defunct group. After recording three records in three short years the band split up during the writing process of a fourth for reasons never expressed.

"Dystopia" is a concept, sound, an identity created through an aesthetic the entire album sticks too. A niche touch in creating a record that feels like it can only be best enjoyed listening all the way through, more so than nit picking songs. Although a couple of tracks stand out, this is eight tracks of steadily paced, lush doom, playing out crafted melodies and theatric, moody operatics in absorbing strength. The sound oozes a sensuous wall of symphony as brooding, dense, low distortion guitars ring out against uprising, bold, audacious symphonic strings that create a warm, absorbing air of wonder for captivating melodies, and melodramatic performances as the operatic leads soar high and exchange with beastly growls and screams from the harsh vocals, as sturdy drums and solid baselines steady the ship.

The melodics are infectious, tuneful leads that burst out from both the guitars and symphony in between brooding moments that move with the anticipation of the next tune. The craft is astounding, each riff, lead and vocal progresses with ease to the next state with a true architecture that far exceeds the atypical Metal approach to song structure and writing. Anthemon forge their music like a matured wine thats been brewed to the fullest of flavor. Guitars play out giving rhythms that lend themselves to the structure and progression while breaking out into glorious leads with the strings and synth. The mood of the record is a strange one, overall bright and uplifting, with an undercurrent of sadness, mostly heard in the operatics, that flirts with darker feelings as the lyrics brood and ponder on pain and the psyche of the mind.

From a technical perspective this is a grand sound that may feel a touch clustered at times, but does a tremendous job allowing the bright, gleaming leads to play out in unison alongside moody guitar distortions as the symphonies shine through with a bright hazy wall of bliss. The drums play an important roll, sounding crisp, punchy and big, yet playing a moderated roll, providing these songs with a sturdy backbone thats theatric, without stealing the show. The chemistry in the mix may really be in the music, but the lush sensuous aesthetic of this record does nothing but reinforce magical compositions that master their own conception. Truly a work of art that could be easily overlooked, but years of listening has shown me the wonder never dies with this one.

Favorite Songs: Above Us, Tuned To Dead Channel, Sereve Eves

Rating: 9/10

The Art Of Noise "The Seduction Of Claude Debussy" (1999)

Being a Debussy fan its no surprise this album grabbed my attention. Having recently discovered this band through a dear friend showing me their classic "Moments In Love" song, I researched them and this being their last album, would be my first. Information available on this record quickly sucked me in, promising such a varied range of music genres and vocals from Rakim and John Hurt. I felt I had stumbled upon something great, and I had. As the album opened with "Il Pleure", a piece that gracefully sets the tone, It was sealed for me. After many spins later I can say may initial anticipation was not let down. This album is a stunning work of art.

This record is comprised of many musical styling that fuse effortless in such artistic form that you may wonder how these styles have not met before. The Classical sound here is the main focus, with a strong rhythmic presence of Jungle / Breakbeat that interchanges as the main focus in different moments throughout. Sally Bradshaw brings her Operatic voice into the frame, just another part of what makes this record so great. Her vocals take lead on "On Being Blue", her voice here and throughout is just sublime. Theres also a strong but generalized electronic presence here with all sort of synth & styles just further adding to the depth this album has.

To top if all off the album is wonderfully narrated by John Hurt, a voice many of us know well, who brings the theme of this record in place. Theres also room for legendary rapper Rakim in this album. I felt his appearance a little underwhelming, although his classic calm and collected flow was there, lyrically it fell a bit short for his standards, but then again this isn't a rap album and he fits in here just fine. All in all this is a stunning album, one I'm sure over time will be a classic in my books.

Favorite Tracks: Dreaming In Color, On Being Blue, Metaforce, The Holy Egoism Of Genius

Rating: 9/10