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Review Summary: A euphony of war. The experience one gets while listening to "When Fire Engulfs the Earth" can be rather bittersweet. It's an album that gears incredibly hard towards sounding fresh out of a war scene from Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit, and in part it succeeds, yet to an extent it also grows cumbersome because the band doesn't bring anything extremely new to the table. However, it plays on its strengths beautifully. The opening track is thunderous and the sheer energy off the album batters you like a full force gale. The symphonies transport you into a distant land so close yet so far, one people all secretly yearn for. The riffs are grand and melodious, drums are pummeling, and the raspy growls have some bad-to-the bone force to them, which, although this might be a slightly grating statement to some people, is made all the more impressive by the fact that the vocalist is a female. This comes down to personal opinion, but often I find that females in extreme metal have voices that are usually just annoyingly high and "throaty". To be fair, females just have different vocal chords then men. So when a female vocalist can accomplish growls more beastly then most males can do, that really amazes me.
Their is, however, a drawback to this album. It begins to lose some of its vital energy after a while, simply because it's a full hour long and relatively predictable. While the band executes cheesiness better then most epic metal bands do, which is probably due to a great horn section and probably some of the most lively drumming i've seen in this branch of metal, even this formula gets slightly boring after hearing it too often. Some bands can maintain the cheesiness while still sounding grand in each moment, e.g Shade Empires "Omega Arcane", however, Dark Oath just narrowly misses such a mark. Even though through a decent chunk of the album, there is a slightly looming sense of having heard these things too often, their are some parts that are simply seraphic in nature, such as the second track "Tree of Life". Neo-classical guitar melodies, small inflections of harp and horns, and drums that hit you like turbulent rapids are simply euphoric.
If you are annoyed by the waves of folk metal bands that seem to come in droves, I probably won't sway you with this album towards thinking more highly of them. This album is 100 percent pure cheese, and most folk metal bands have done the same sound that Dark Oath has. However, few can do it with such intensity, passion and conviction, even if that conviction wears its appeal 30-40 minutes in. Yet still, if a war ever broods, then you can expect Dark Oath to be at the forefront, already readying their assault.
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My man calling Omega Arcane cheesy over here
Anyways, this wasn't too too bad. I think you devoted a bit too much time on what you personally feel about female vocalists, felt a bit awkwardly written. You described the experience as 'bittersweet' but didn't expand on why, it doesn't really seem to fit.
Overall it's pretty alright tho, keep writin.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Yeah I understand that, I just didn't know if other people felt the same way about female screamers/growlers.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Also I love omega arcane but what symphonic death metal isn't cheesy, if not at least a lil (also I expanded on the bittersweet section a bit, didn't realize I never truly finished the idea).
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Omega Arcane is a ballbuster my man
Avantasia is symphonic cheese
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But they're Grade A cheese.
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I love me some Avantasia cheese
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Cheers. Now, where's my wine?
Review got me curious about the album, but I've had albums wear off of me just as quickly as they arouse me. Hopefully that's not the case. I may give it a go after I finish listening to Sing the Sorrow (I'm so late, it's my first listen lol).
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Basically you have your high quality muenster cheese (shade empire) and your low quality processed shit cheese (man o war. I'll get some shit for that one)
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I mean, I see the point you're trying to make (I think), but it's hard for me to see Shade Empire as 'cheesy'. It's the most tasteful, precise usage of symphonic elements. They go hand-in-hand perfectly with the music to create something I'd call epic rather than cheesy.
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The new Wisdom is a perfect example of fresh, low-grade cheese.
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I don't think symphonic samples make something immediately cheesy, it all depends on how the band uses them
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Yeah I guess you aren't wrong, it's just that it is definetly very easy to cross into that realm. Maybe not Shade Empire, because i'll admit they're totally epic and it would be immensely wrong to take away the symphonies. I guess a more accurate example of "cheesy but still pretty good" would be more like Fleshgod Apocalypse
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Fleshgod makes much more sense
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Funny enough i'm listening to Shade Empire right now and I can see the contrast especially hard now
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Yeah my man, now you realize the grave mistake you made
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Honestly i'm convinced I write a lot of my reviews anymore at like 1 am on a school night. Often I read my more recent ones wondering why i made certain statements. I think maybe i'll just start writing reviews but gradually add more thoughts to them and just keep them in draft form for a few days. That way I can actually let my thoughts absorb themselves a bit more.
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Ayy my man I'm just messing with you, you didn't make a mistake.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Lol yeah I know, I've just been feeling this lately.
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yo new album is out and it goes ahrd m/
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