Artist: Heavenwood
Title: Abyss Masterpiece
Genre: Gothic Metal
Release Date: 18th March 2011
Label: Listenable Records
Album Review
HEAVENWOOD started out as DISGORGED on the death metal scene in 1992, after their bassist killed himself in 1995 the band needed a new start, they signed with another record label and renamed themselves to their present title, and though some marks of death metal remain, theirs music turned to the Gothic metal side. Their first album, ‘Diva’, was promoted on touring with IN FLAMES and ATROCITY, year later they toured with THEATER OF TRAGEDY and LAKE OF TEARS, later on they even played with CRADLE OF FILTH. Their second LP ‘Swallow’ had guest appearances from the aforementioned THEATER OF TRAGEDY. After the band returned from hiatus in about 2003, their more dark rock sound saw their record label dropping them, but that didn’t stop them from releasing their third album ‘Redemption’. Now their fourth album entitled as ‘Abyss Masterpiece’ is coming out. Dark rock has gone except few riffs here and there, instead there’s over three quarters of an hour of heavy, dark mass of metal pouring out and engulfing the listener with intense and sorrowful melancholy, pierced by an understated but beautiful female vocal.
In second song ‘Morning Glory Clouds (In Manus Tuas Domine) even a female choir, as if you start listening to this song in some catholic cathedral during the mass. The refrain is memorable with its intensity and emphasis of the vocal and dense and beautiful play of guitars. The layers of the songs and the build up of atmosphere are wonderfully composed. ‘Poem For Matilde’ was another song to pick out of, a beauty of a song, a love songs without it being sentimental and cringe worthy, quite the opposite. After this song the album, between ‘Fading Sun’ and ‘Sudden Scars’, entwines itself with the band’s death metal roots. It becomes even darker, denser, with vocal between clean and growling. ‘Her Lament’ comes back to the choir, with beautiful piano and string parts, a truly atmospheric and beautiful instrumental. HEAVENWOOD’s fourth album hasn’t got “masterpiece” within its title in vain, it does sound as the best of what they’ve done so far, and it’s beautiful, rich and compelling.
Tracklist
01. The Arcadia Order – 4.48
02. Morning Glory Clouds (In Manus Tuas Domine) – 5.03
03. Goodness Presiding Over Solitude – 4.24
04. Once a Burden – 4.02
05. Winter Slave – 5.25
06. Leonor – 6.37
07. Poem For Matilde – 5.21
08. Fading Sun – 4.39
09. September Blood – 4.39
10. Sudden Scars – 5.56
11. Like Yesterday – 5.00
12. Her Lament – 4.18
Line-up
Ernesto Guerra – Vocals
Ricardo Dias – Vocals, Guitars
Bruno Silva – Guitar
Marcelo Aires – Drums (session member)
Websites
http://www.myspace.com/heavenwood
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Total: 9 / 10
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