Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2017 18:30:53 GMT -6
Crimson Moonlight - Veil of Remembrance
Year: 2004
Genre: Black/Death Metal
Following up an album as amazing as The Covenant Progress has to be a daunting task for any band, but Crimson Moonlight didn't back down. Only one year later, in 2004, they released their second album, Veil of Remembrance. Most people seem to consider this the pinnacle of Crimson Moonlight's discography, and I can see why. This is without a doubt my favorite pure (no symphonic elements, etc.) black/death album.
The guitars are the highlight of the album. The riffs in each song are composed and positioned to achieve a balance of aggression, intricacy, and memorability. The band maintains an equilibrium between melody and heaviness as well as black metal and death metal, creating a dynamic but gelid feeling. It took a few listens before some of the riffs really stuck out to me, but now I find them all to be rather enjoyable. I personally prefer the riffs from The Covenant Progress over these due to their melody and mysterious mood, but fans of more aggressive styles of extreme metal will probably favor the riffs of Veil of Remembrance. The production of the guitars is ideal. They are mixed in such a way that enables the listener to clearly hear just about everything, and the tone is thick enough to support the death metal aspects of the music.
The frantic and forceful drumming complements the elaborate guitars. A variety of styles are utilized to prevent percussive monotony. Blastbeating is prevalent throughout the album but other aggressive and complicated techniques are used as well. Once again, the band nailed the production. The drums are just loud enough without being overpowering and they also don't sound too "clicky".
Pilgrim's vocals are harsh and unrelenting. He mostly uses a black metal style reminiscent of The Covenant Progress, but occasionally he lowers his pitch to a more death metal-esque sound. I much prefer the higher screams, but a bit of variety here is nice. Others will appreciate it more than I do.
It seems that atmosphere was a bit of an afterthought (which is fine, as this style doesn't really need it), but the band included a few softer sections which add to the frigidity of the sound. The first is located in "The Cold Grip of Terror". About halfway into the song, the distorted guitars drop out, replaced by a simple melody played by a clean guitar with an echoing tone. It remains instrumental at first, but spoken vocals are eventually introduced. "Contemplations Along the Way" features a similar section, but it is shorter, faster, and more intricate. I am pleased with the band's inclusion of atmosphere into the composition, despite its lack of prevalence.
This album is an undisputed classic of the CBM scene. I highly recommend listening to it, but if you're interested in CBM, you probably already have.
99/100
-CrimsonWarrior
This album is of widespread availability.
Year: 2004
Genre: Black/Death Metal
Following up an album as amazing as The Covenant Progress has to be a daunting task for any band, but Crimson Moonlight didn't back down. Only one year later, in 2004, they released their second album, Veil of Remembrance. Most people seem to consider this the pinnacle of Crimson Moonlight's discography, and I can see why. This is without a doubt my favorite pure (no symphonic elements, etc.) black/death album.
The guitars are the highlight of the album. The riffs in each song are composed and positioned to achieve a balance of aggression, intricacy, and memorability. The band maintains an equilibrium between melody and heaviness as well as black metal and death metal, creating a dynamic but gelid feeling. It took a few listens before some of the riffs really stuck out to me, but now I find them all to be rather enjoyable. I personally prefer the riffs from The Covenant Progress over these due to their melody and mysterious mood, but fans of more aggressive styles of extreme metal will probably favor the riffs of Veil of Remembrance. The production of the guitars is ideal. They are mixed in such a way that enables the listener to clearly hear just about everything, and the tone is thick enough to support the death metal aspects of the music.
The frantic and forceful drumming complements the elaborate guitars. A variety of styles are utilized to prevent percussive monotony. Blastbeating is prevalent throughout the album but other aggressive and complicated techniques are used as well. Once again, the band nailed the production. The drums are just loud enough without being overpowering and they also don't sound too "clicky".
Pilgrim's vocals are harsh and unrelenting. He mostly uses a black metal style reminiscent of The Covenant Progress, but occasionally he lowers his pitch to a more death metal-esque sound. I much prefer the higher screams, but a bit of variety here is nice. Others will appreciate it more than I do.
It seems that atmosphere was a bit of an afterthought (which is fine, as this style doesn't really need it), but the band included a few softer sections which add to the frigidity of the sound. The first is located in "The Cold Grip of Terror". About halfway into the song, the distorted guitars drop out, replaced by a simple melody played by a clean guitar with an echoing tone. It remains instrumental at first, but spoken vocals are eventually introduced. "Contemplations Along the Way" features a similar section, but it is shorter, faster, and more intricate. I am pleased with the band's inclusion of atmosphere into the composition, despite its lack of prevalence.
This album is an undisputed classic of the CBM scene. I highly recommend listening to it, but if you're interested in CBM, you probably already have.
99/100
-CrimsonWarrior
This album is of widespread availability.