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[SPOILER]Darzamat - Transkarpatia
Metal Mind Productions
Darzamat - TranskarpatiaVera: De Poolse band Darzamat heeft al een behoorlijk lange geschiedenis. In de jaren negentig maakten we kennis met hen mits twee opmerkelijke albums ‘In The Flames Of Black Art’ en ‘In The Opium Of Black Veil’ die een eigenzinnige mix van black metal met avant-garde lieten horen. Pas enkele jaren later is er ‘Oniriad’, hetgeen een erg experimenteel album was, opgenomen in de eigen Post Street Studio van gitarist Simon. Helaas drijft deze try out een wig tussen Simon en stichtend lid en zanger Flauros. De wegen van beide muzikanten scheiden. Flauros staat voor de moeilijke opgave om nieuwe bandleden te zoeken, slaagt daarin en het eerste resultaat was ‘Semidevilish’ in 2004. De hernieuwde band keert daarop terug naar een veel harder geluid en de lovende recensies maken dat Darzamat overal op de grootste festivals kan spelen, tot in Mexico toe. Daar halen ze zelfs de cover van het grootste Mexicaanse rock magazine Barahunda. Tournees doorheen Duitsland, Rusland en Oekraïne vestigen de naam van Darzamat terug op de metal kaart.
Op het nieuwe, vijfde album is de stijl die men op ‘Semidevilish’ is ingeslagen verder uitgediept. Het nieuwe materiaal is erg heavy en deze mix van black en death metal wordt gecompleteerd door prachtige simfonische arrangementen die het griezelige elementen in de muziek volledig tot hun recht laten komen. Want dit is een link met Darzamat’s eerste werk: het heeft een erg griezelige sfeer met onderwerpen als vampirisme, occulte praktijken en geestelijke slavernij. Alles wat de menselijke geest in beroering kan brengen wordt zonder poeha aangekaart. Het spreekt voor zich dat zulke beladen thema’s enkel tot hun recht kunnen komen in veelgelaagde, ingewikkelde muzikale structuren. Maar dat is nou net een eigenschap die Darzamat altijd zo uniek maakt. Ik zou dit album dan ook willen aanraden aan liefhebbers van moeilijk te doorgronden, maar o zo rijke muzikale uitspattingen als Arcturus en Ulver. Blikvangers zijn de grofkorrelige, ‘creepy’ zang van Flauros en de veelzijdige vrouwelijke vocalen van Nera. Verwacht geen gothic vocalen, maar passionele zang met Slavische begeestering die door de geheimzinnige en duistere inborst het ongemakkelijke gevoel benadrukt. Keiharde nummers als ‘Hallucinations’ en ‘The Old Form Of Worship’ worden afgewisseld met onheilspellende gesproken fragmenten, een intro met violen en dan weer bedachtzame pianoklanken. De orkestrale arrangementen zijn met grote precisie in de extreme metal verwerkt. ‘Transkarpatia’ doet zijn macaber thema en locatie alle eer aan. Het album werd opgenomen in de ‘Maq’ studios, maar hetgeen dit album zijn perfecte klank geeft is ongetwijfeld de productie door Andy La Rocque (gitarist King Diamond) in de Zweedse Los Angered Recording Studio. Deze internationale samenwerking heeft geleid tot Darzamat’s beste album tot nu toe!
Score 87/100 (toelichting)[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER]CD Review: Darzamat - Transkarpatia
Written by Chris Beaumont
Published August 10, 2006
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Darzamat is a protective deity guarding gardens and forests in Slavonic mythology. This makes a fitting name for a band that creates dense, forest-like compositions of gothic, doom, and black metal. Not typically my genre of choice, but I have always been fascinated by the melodies and cohesiveness that underlies the surface chaos of the black metal genre.
My first exposure to Darzamat came earlier this year, specifically, with their one-song contribution to the Metalmania 2005 DVD release. I thought the sound was intriguing, but it came off as frustratingly repetitive. Now, I have had the chance to listen to their latest full-length release, Transkarpatia.
The first thing that jumped out at me was the epic cinematic nature of the album. A dark, evil film filled with the occult and vampirism that plays out to a soundtrack of the damned. Whether or not there is an concept at work behind this album, I do not know. I would surmise that the answer is yes, but so many of the words are unintelligible to this listener.
The strongest evidence to the concept idea is the track “Letter from Hell” that comes midway through the album. It is a narrated account of the torture of an accused witch, and her subsequent, and vehement admission. It is an interesting interlude, if somewhat laughable in execution. It is performed by one half of the vocal duo, Nera, who puts a lot into the performance, but it somehow seems as if she is trying to channel Bela Lugosi’s Bulgarian accent.
The album flows with a relentless combination of brutality and melody. An interesting combination to be sure. Fronting the band are Nera and her male vocal counterpart, Flauros. He has an odd voice, it is a rather high-pitched, throat-driven growl. It is a growl that I have come to expect from this style, but the higher pitch is new.
The twin vocal interplay works very well, from the growl to Nera’s smoother style. Behind them are the ever-present guitar wall of Chris and bass from Bacchus. Keeping the songs lurching forward are the drums from Darkside, one of the strongest instrument presentations. Then, filling in the gloomy atmosphere, and providing some well orchestrated interludes, is keyboardist Spectre. Together they have crafted a fine experiment in crossover gloom and doom.
Songs to focus on include the initial blast, “Vampiric Prose,” which serves as an introduction to the band in top form. Other prime gloomers are “The Burning Times” and the down tempo epic, “Virus.”
Bottomline. Much better than I expected. I may have to check out some more from the back catalog. I was impressed by the cinematic layers and the deadly serious tone that plays throughout. I noticed that, upon multiple listenings, the various layers become more evident. Nice work.
Recommended.
3,5 / 5
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[SPOILER] CD Review: Darzamat - Transkarpatia
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Darzamat, named after protective deity guarding gardens and forests from Slavonic mythology. A fitting name for a band that creates dense, forrest-like compositions of gothic, doom, and black metal. Not typically my genre of choice, but I have always been fascinated by the melodies and cohesiveness that underlies the surface chaos of the black metal genre.
My first exposure to Darzamat came earlier this year, specifically, with their one song contribution to the Metalmania 2005 DVD release. I thought the sound was intriguing, but it came off as frustratingly repetitive. Now, I have had the chance to listen to their latest full length release, Transkarpatia.
The first thing that jumped out at me was the epic cinematic nature of the album. A dark, evil film filled with the occult and vampirism that palys out to a soundtrack of the damned. Whether or not there is an concept at work behind this album, I do not know. I would surmise that the answer is yes, but so many of the words are unintelligible to this listener. The strongest evidence to the concept idea is the track “Letter from Hell” that comes midway through the album. It is a narrated account of the torture of an accused witch, and her subsequent, and vehement admission. It is an interesting interlude, if somewhat laughable in execution. It is performed by one half of the vocal duo, Nera, who puts a lot into the performance, but it somehow seems as if she is trying to channel Bela Lugosi’s Bulgarian accent.
The album flows with a relentless combination of brutality and melody. An interesting combination to be sure. Fronting the band are Nera and her male vocal counterpart, Flauros. He has an odd voice, it is a rather high pitched throat driven growl. It is a growl that I have come to expect from this style, but the higher pitch is new. The twin vocal interplay works very well, from the growl to Nera’s smoother style. Behind them are the ever-present guitar wall of Chris and bass from Bacchus. Keeping the songs lurching forward are the drums from Darkside, one of the strongest instrument presentations. Then, filling in the gloomy atmosphere, and providing some well orchestrated interludes, is keyboardist Spectre. Together they have crafted a fine experiment in crossover gloom and doom.
Songs to focus on include the initial blast, “Vampiric Prose,” which serves as an introduction to the band in top form. Other prime gloomers are “The Burning Times” and the down tempo epic, “Virus.”
Bottomline. Much better than I expected. I may have to check out some more from the back catalog. I was impressed by the cinematic layers and the deadly serious tone that plays throughout. I noticed that, upon multiple listenings, the various layers become more evident. Nice work.
3,5 / 5
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER]Darzamat - Transkarpatia
2006
- Sanguinarius (Intro)
- Vampiric Prose
- Hallucinations
- Inhumatus (Intro)
- The Burning Times
- Letter From Hell
- Blackward
- Recurring Yell
- Araneum (Intro)
- Labyrinth Of Anxiety
- Virus
- The Old Form Of Worship
- Tempted By Rot
- Tribute To…
Poland has a long line of Metal bands to pick from, the country has spawned many recognizable acts in many sub-genres such as Gothic and Death Metal. The case with Darzamat is quite exceptional, the band is already at their fifth release and many believe this is their most powerful, mature work to the date.
Darzamat could be best described as a potent mix of Black and Gothic Metal with some Death Metal elements here and there. I know this particular combination of genres is not that original, but Darzamat has an intrinsic, creepy, mysterious atmosphere in all their songs, whether is the blackened shrieks or the haunting female vocals you can feel the eeriness in all songs.
Keyboards play an important part in Transkarpatia, you could say that the use of a keyboard is almost necessary to fully develop the vampiric and occult themes that Darzamat dwell into. Expect an elaborated lyrical context, thing that we’re not used to get very often from Metal bands. Production is flawless, but that’s no wonder, because it was handled by King Diamond’s Andy La Rocque.
If I could pick some favorite songs they would be most definitively “The Burning Times”, “Vampiric Prose” and “Labyrinth Of Anxiety”. While I don’t listen harsh music that much nowadays, this album was a excellent excuse to do it, when you got a solid album like this is easy to go back to your roots and do some headbanging, and I bet this album will get some playtime in my stereo. Definitively the best work of Darzamat to the date. 'nuff said.
Rating:
8.0
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