Search - Bal Sagoth :: Power Cosmic

Couldn't help but like it

Antonio Jose Mendoza | Bogotá Colombia | 10/04/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cheesy, maybe. Corny, perhaps. But utterly irresistible. Bal Sagoth's "The Power Cosmic" is a record that never has a boring moment, never lets down, always maintains the same level of intensity and completely satisfies any fan of melodic black metal. If you like the music of Dimmu Borgir, Emperor or Thy Serpent, and also enjoy some recent Power Metal in the vein of Rhapsody, this is for you. Bal Sagoth displays the same kind of high speed, double-bass drummed style, and the epic, symphonic keyboard melodies that can be found on any of the earlier mentioned bands. The difference is that Bal Sagoth doesn't strive for heavy and unholy darkness like its BM peers, but for grandeur and beauty. Instead of trying to plunge you in evil and desperation, they make you feel exultant, joyous. The entire album is like a musical travel, something to expand imagination and hope. That is no to say it is some kind of happy Stratovarius act, not at all. It has all the furious intensity of any evil BM band, but oriented differently. I know there's some people who find Bal Sagoth easy to ridicule because of their heroic-fantasy-sci-fi quality, and I started to listen "Power Cosmic" with prejudice. But it vanished right away. All my scorn melted like butter. For me it was impossible not to go along for the ride, and enjoy each song like a kid who has just discovered metal. I recommend this with all my heart, because I find there's nothing in this album I can say I didn't like. Oh, perhaps most of the vocals keep a James-Earl-Jones-narration style that don't work very much (I would prefer a typical BM shriek), but who cares, with all the astounding music going along with the voice. Hands down, it's the best, most inspiring record I've heard in a long time. Buy it, buy it, buy it."

And Lo! It was a Mighty Tome of Barbarian Music!

stu | Worcester, UK | 01/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After recieving the most recent installment of the Bal-Sagoth story I was in supreme awe of The Power Cosmic. For all true epic barbarian warrior king Gods travelling throughout the many dimensions of the multiverse."

Power Cosmic

Metal | 03/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ignore the one-star reviews lisen to he 'useful' 5 star reviews. Although this is quite cheesy, it's an extremely clever storyline, about heroes and such. The keyboards comtemplate with the drumming perfectly. The guitars are heavy and the symphonics are amazing. Music-wise, this album is great.



Yes this IS a concept album telling a story! You can't give it 1 star because of the lyrics. Half the time with black/death metal songs you can't even tell what the lyrics are, because of the shrieking/growling. The story is not a main priority compared to the music. I wouldn't class Bal-Sagoth as black metal band; melodic/symphonic black maybe, but besides the occasional shrieking there are no Satanic lyrics. It's better off classed as 'Melodic death metal.'"