Artist: Lord of the Lost
Title: Antagony
Genre: Dark / Gothic Metal
Release Date: 1st April 2011
Label: Out Of Line
Album Review
LORD OF THE LOST was founded in 2007 by their singer/guitarist Chris Harms originally as a solo project, but when he invited his friends to collaborate with him they soon became an official band. ‘Antagony’ is their second album, following on debut entitled ‘Fears’. Although they consider themselves musically somewhere between RAMMSTEIN and HIM, PARADISE LOST comes to mind more prominently, even if you associate their harder parts to RAMMSTEIN and their dark romanticism to HIM. In either case, although you’ll be reminded of a few influences, these guys have a unique sound all their own. The album is created with a concept of "the everlasting conflict of the constant lure of the abysses humanity has to face versus the perfidious cleanliness of religious endeavour into an array of smashing tunes."
‘Antagony’ opens with an ethereal and melancholic introduction, epic, cinematic and beautiful piece that will impress you and will invite you to keep on with listening. ‘We Are The Lost’ is a catchy song with Goth rock interwoven with doom metal elements. The song is at times distorted, it kept me wondering if there’s a problem with my sound system, failing that, with the sound production, at the end I’ve been also wondering if this is an effect on purpose, as if ghostly frequency kept interfering... though in ‘Sex On Legs’ for whatever reason it was, it spoilt the song for me. I’m not talking of distorted guitars or distorted vocal but the song stopping as if the vinyl was scratched. Whilst it adds a “dating” (sepia in sound) or eerie effect to the song, at the end I’m impatient for hearing more refined sound and this issue being present in most of the songs has made the listening less enjoyable than it could have been, considering that the album interests me, it gets even irritating at times.
‘Fragmenting Façade’ was a catchy number that made me think of THE 69 EYES. ‘Undead Or Alive’ with its guitar parts does remind me of RAMMSTEIN. The rhythm is a remarkable part of this song, the layered feel another, and there are some interesting synthesised sounds as well. A memorable track on the whole. ‘Inferior’ with its piano with a thundering sound accompanying the drums, the atmospheric vocal... make for a superb song. ‘Seven Days Of Anavrin’ makes a musical reconnaissance into death metal territory with parts, which adds a menacing aspect at the beginning and then it shifts to an emotive end that only lacked the surge of symphonic background to create another epic, the wailing guitar though was a substitute enough for one’s expectation. ‘Revelation 13:18’ starts with a great touch - they transport you into a church service with the organ and the congregation singing till Harms’ voice and the guitars burst out there with a kick ass energy, the mass turns black and devilish and the varied vocal techniques work truly well here. In short, it’s demonstrating how beautifully intense moods THE LORD OF THE LOST can evoke.
The album closes with a softened, piano and clean vocal on ‘Reprised Sober’ with beautiful strings coming in also. An atmospheric, even exquisite piece filled with melancholy, dejection, but still with a flash of light, holding on, regardless. It’s a ballad that brings NICK CAVE to mind to liken its skills to. It’s one of my favourite parts of the album. ‘Antagony’, forgetting the sound issue, is an impressive album with a multi-faceted, interesting, great music, and if I were an oracle, I’d say this band can go very far in their career. I would not only come back to this album, but will definitely look out for what will follow.
Tracklist
01. Preludium: About Love, Death & The Devil – 3.52
02. We Are The Lost – 5.05
03. Sex On Legs – 3.16
04. Fragmenting Façade – 4.12
05. Prison – 3.26
06. Epiphany – 3.54
07. Love Is Not Enough – 3.49
08. Antagony (The Truth Is Written Between The Lines) – 4.43
09. From The Cradle To The Grave – 3.50
10. Undead Or Alive – 3.56
11. Son Of The Dawn – 4.07
12. Inferior – 4.13
13. Seven Days Of Anavrin – 4.56
14. Revelation 13:18 – 10.55
15. Reprise: Sober – 3.56
Line-up
Gared Dirge
Any Wayst
Klaas Grenayde
Chris Harms
Bo Six
Sebsta Lindström
Websites
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lord-Of-the-Lost/120287666658 / www.myspace.com/lordofthelost
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 8
Total: 8.5 /10
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