Artist: Septicflesh
Title: A Fallen Temple (Re-Release)
Genre: Symphonic/ Melodic Death Metal
Release Date: 17th January 2014
Label: Season of Mist
Review Flash
SEPTICFLESH released ‘A Fallen Temple’ in 1998, it shows off their more experimental side than the previous release of 1997’s ‘Obsidian Wheel’ and connects the two into the next musical step in ‘Revolution DNA’ (1999). And though more left-field it certainly still breathes the Gothic atmosphere of the previous album, not least because Natalie Rassoulis is still lending her vocal skills to shade Antoninious’s harsh and Vayenas’s clean vocals. All of the three vocals make more interactions here. Also the spoken words in ‘Underworld Act 1’ and Underworld Act 2’ make for a superbly invoked theatrical atmosphere, together with symphonic elements it makes for songs with a grandiose scope of Death Metal opera that would be butchered in lesser hands but in theirs it comes as a wonderful feast for the ears of the listener. It also leaves me really desiring to be able to hear its ideas developed into such. Even so it gives an interesting framework to a diverse album that marries off various trends in a unique, at times even poetical, blend. You just can't miss SEPTICFLESH in the plethora of bands out there - the formulaic is trampled on and thrown out of the window and there's a surprise on every step of the way.
Conclusion: The darkness is gathering in heavier strokes in this album, the scope's widening... what to say except don’t miss out on coming on this journey through innovative SEPTICFLESH time – you’ll be much inner-richer for hearing it or re-hearing it for that matter in its new sound-mastering sheen, artwork and with added bonuses.
Rating: 9 / 10
