Judas Christ- TIAMAT Strikes the Nerve Once Again!
Ravi S. Madapati | 05/22/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"TIAMAT's Johan Edlund, Anders Iwers, Lars Skold, and new guitarist Thomas Petersson have created one of this bands best albums since Wildhoney. As the first song "The Return of the Son of Nothing" plays you wonder if it's going to be another Skeleton Skeletron, but it isn't. This album offers a greater variety, greater quality, and breaks ground anew. When you open the CD you can tell that time and thought was put into this album's creation. From the design, the album's title, and each individual song, this album does not disappoint.
Judas Christ's "Vote for Love" seems to be their choice for the albums new approach. "Vote for Love", is a great song, and it's idea of hope in love is somewhat foreign to this band, which makes it admirable. Still, there are other greats on this album that must not be overlooked. Songs such as: The Truth's for Sale, Love Is As Good As Soma, & Angel Holograms, are just as well-done or moreso as Vote... "Heaven of High" and "Too Far Gone" are great "ending" songs for the album, and evoke moods of reflection. If you're fortunate enough as myself to obtain a copy of their limited edition CD it also features two extra songs: "Sixshooter", and "However you look at it you Loose", these are two experimental songs by Edlund which are more synthesizer and bass, than metal and live drums. They appeal to the mechanical and industrial side, rather than the organic. They're worth the listen, and I appreciate Edlund trying something different! As far as the albums best, I feel that "I Am In Love With Myself", is the best, or at least in the top three. It has wonderful lyrics, dark humor, and draws inspiration from Shakespeare's King Lear. It also possess excellent guitar riffs which meld splendidly. It would finally appear that TIAMAT's "DARK METAL" days are outnumbered by their new style which seems to have erupted since Wildhoney, although you can see hints of it as far back as The Astral Sleep. As a great fan and supportor of TIAMAT it's nice to know that there's a band out there like them which, is underappreciated so that I can enjoy them and know that I'm one of the few privielaged individuals who knows about them. Why they haven't recieved the recognition they deserve is left to speculation. Either way, if you appreciate TIAMAT, you'll want this CD to add to the rest. With-out-a-doubt a five star album!"
It ain't no "Clouds"...
B. | Chicago, IL | 05/07/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If there was the smallest shred of hope lingering inside your blackened, metallic heart that Tiamat's new album might revisit their "Astral Sleep" days, the song "Vote For Love" alone should surely put that to rest. If nothing else, this record proudly states, "we will never make death metal again" (but then, you'd have known that if you read about how much Edlund hated the band's early material in the liner notes to the re-issues).But that doesn't mean they won't continue to make decent gloomy, catchy hard rock. Using that yardstick, this is probably Tiamat's best since "Wildhoney". They've built this monster on the same bones as "Skeleton Steletron", but fleshed it with stronger hooks, a few heavier riffs, and a clearer theme. It really does sound as if this is the muscles, tendons, guts, and brains missing from the last album.It's not their best. That much should be obvious. But it is a solid album. If you liked the last few albums, it won't disappoint."
A sweet and dark masterpiece...
Carlos Montano Matamala | Santiago de Chile, Chile. | 05/03/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Tiamat has done a truly masterpiece, I have all their discography, and I can tell you this one is very very good...I'd wish that people that aren't so much involved with metal sounds, could give a try to this cd, it has a lot of melody and a clear influence of pink floyd, the hit song "vote for love" will devour you and you won't stop to spin this cd on and on!!!."