Agnes Vein – Duality / Advanced CD
Agnes Vein – Duality
(Advanced CD) Total Playing Time: 35:41 Minutes
Been digging for something really heavy I was lucky enough to receive an advanced CD from the Greek Epic / Doom / Chaotic Metallers, Agnes Vein. A CD of six new recently recorded tracks that –thanks to Erikos their bass player- have been stuck to my stereo the latest days.
For those who do not know Agnes Vein, I got to introduce the band pointing out that they have released back in 2003 their debut demo CD entitled “Of Chaos And Law” delivering an obscure type of Epic Metal with many Doom elements focused on the obscure side of bands like Cirith Ungol and Manilla Road. The special feature of the band was –and still is by the way- the fact that their Epic Metal was presented under a chaotic and obscure Doom oriented musical approach, so if you were expecting happy melodies and horse ridings you were totally in the wrong band as their music is the ideal soundtrack of a battle that would have one and only end: Eternal Doom and Death.
That was the main reason that the music of Agnes Vein was many time a serious reference of Doom Metal fans around Greece especially after their shows supporting Solitude Aeturnus, but those who had the chance to catch them on stage supporting Manilla Road, Helstar and others had also many positive things to point about this chaotic band.
Four years have passed since the release of their debut demo and the band has moved towards their obscure, strange, chaotic and Doomy path. The result is those six new tracks that the band has finished. The first one is called “Melcor” from its very first tune you would understand the background of the band: ultra slow and heavy tombstone riffing, blasting bass and the hammering drums of Doom. The song is totally Epic like a guide to a battle handing poisoned blades and waiting no tomorrow. Listening carefully the song we would discover the influences that are taking us back to the roots of the slow and heaviest Cirith Ungol riffing but listening most clearly to the music the listener would discover influences by the Irish Battle Metal band Primordial. Yes it is obvious that this band is a serious influence for the Greek defenders of chaos. Probably and generally speaking (writing) the Epic spirit of Agnes Vein is clearly Primordial driven and this can be pointed only as a positive fact. “Melcor” is slow and pounding with many fast breakings. The vocals are really great. No, no do not expect power screaming, only hymnical clean vocals –much better than the debut demo- but also battle vocal lines in a Black Metal mode that would bring you again in mind the early days of (guess who) Primordial plus the Epic / Black Metal anthems of early Enslaved ad In The Woods (first album).
“Inorb” follows and its introducing riff reminds me a lot of Cirith Ungol, but just after it the song becomes even more foggy and the hymnical vocals are here once again soon to be replaced by poisoned battle screams and a frosty mood on the guitars. Probably “Inorb” is the frostiest song of the demo meanwhile it is carrying an Epic atmosphere thanks to the first riff -that is repeated around the song- and the clear hymnical vocals that an be heard in many of song’s parts. Well this one is not for the weak hearted ones… especially those Black Metal vocals, they are setting the sun dead or something… But I have to point that my favorite part of the song is its epilogue enforced by this ultra slow riffing that drives the song into a dying crescendo.
“Earentil” follows it is for sure the most raw and pounding track in here, hammering bass and drums are guiding the conquering riffs and the battle rages on. A lot of Bathory (Blood Fire Death era) in here together with Primordial and the usual Agnes Vein chaotic approach. Stick on your poisoned blades! If you have not been taken by storm by this track you would taste “The Fall” which is the most foggy and mysterious track in here, the title of the song simply describes what is all about: In slow and even more slow tempo this song represents another side of the band based on heavier than hell riffing and a haunted atmosphere. Probably some modern outfits would come into your mind (Neurosis) but fortunately I would not put the song to the usual sludge / drone crap as it is enforced by some other elements that are making it to sound richer and different. Yes the cold riffing is for one more time in here but now influenced by the ghosts of Thorns (remember this Norwegian Black Metal band that has delivered a debut that drove the whole serious part of the genre into the millennium?). Well I discovered a little of Thorn-ish touches in here. I prefer Agnes Vein into their more Epic mode but this song was interesting as well.
After the falling of the previous song it is time for the Armageddon-like blasting of “Duality”. This is war my friends and the spirit of Blood Fire Death (Bathory) lives and dies in every moment of this song. The vocals in here are the more aggressive ones that Agnes Vein have delivered and the new drummer is giving a serious proof about his capabilities. Yes the drummer was the one and only line up change of the band as somewhere around April 2006 their previous drummer left but fortunately a replacement was found quickly so the journey of the band has not finished.
“Outro” is the epilogue in here and it is actually a slow nightmare turned to a song, based on another frosty riff, it becomes heavier and heavier as it is driven into its final seconds.
The whole stuff is mastered in new York by Alan Douches (he was the one that has mastered Mastodon’s Leviathan and he has expressed such enthusiasm on the band’s music that ended up to fully master it). The band is currently on a searching for a record label to deliver their new stuff. I wish they would soon find one.
So to sum things up in here we got a unique mix of Primrodial, Bathory, Manilla Road and some Cirith Ungol, enforced by frost and pounding riffing and characterized by hymnical and Black Metal vocals, all this stuff is represented in a Doom and Heavy as Hell background creating the soundtrack of the day with no tomorrow. For sure NOT to be missed.
For info and getting in touch write at: agnesvein@yahoo.gr
(No myspace, no site, nothing... they are still a true band wink! wink!).
Originally Posted by Count_RaveN
δεν εκανε δουλεια ακομα ο καφες...
