There is very little counterpoint or thematic development – granted, occasionally there is a short contrapuntal passage, like the one in 'Inked in Blood' or the subtle piano usage in 'The Memories of a Sinner,' and there is a theme that recurs throughout the album, but these are really just exceptions.

That last song also has the themes from previous songs appearing together (but not simultaneously) as its bridge, and while it is an interesting idea, Mirai is not Mozart, 'Hangman's Hymn' is not the fourth movement of the Jupiter Symphony, this section is not contrapuntal (let alone having a quintuple counterpoint), and it sounds chaotic and random. Another device is that the 'Dies Irae' part, which is first introduced in 'Dies Irae' (obviously), reappears near the end of 'In Devil's Arms.'

The requiem mass is incorporated into the album; many songs feature purely orchestral and choral interludes with no metal part (the 'Dies Irae' part is almost a Mozart rip-off),

Song structures are extremely simple: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge and solo, verse, chorus – yes, it's the dreaded pop structure at display on this "requiem-based, movement-oriented" album. This completely goes against the symphonic grandeur the band seems to have aimed for.

You if you haven't heard this album...then stop saying that "reign in blood" is a landmarker...you're selling yourself short...It is my understanding that Dave hasn't been in writing mode for some time now, but as of September 2003 when I last spoke to him in Toronto, he did say that he had an album worth of material that he was reluctant not to record...my optimism is dying off however because there hasn't been an update about these guys in almost 6 months...I hope we are graced by at least one more Razor offering before Mr. Carlo really does call it a day.

Written by Bartman on May 12th, 2007

IKUINEN KAAMOS started as far back as in '97, but quite soon disbanded. Original member Jarno Ruuskanen brought the band back to life again in 2003 with some new members, and with a couple of demos in 2003 and '04 they got a deal with the (yet) small Dutch label Descent Productions. There are five long songs on The Forlorn, their debut album. All are varied, epic, agressive, melancholic, you name it... It almost gave me goosebumps all the 53 minutes it lasts, as it is so clever in arrangements, so wonderfully performed and packed in a perfect production. All hails to guitarist/bassist Jarno Ruuskanen for creating such a monster of an album, guitarist Juhani Mikkonen, Henri Villberg for growls and screams from the depths of Gehenna, and also to Artu Romo for beating the Hell out of his drums.

After the first spin I was more or less certain this was a 9/10 album, but now after countless rounds on the computer, in the car and on the stereo I've realized that if this isn't a top score then no album would deserve that tag. I admit that it isn't insanely good all the way, but overall this is such a vital and important release that it deserves all the cred it can get. I could write page up and page down about The Forlorn, but I'll leave you with this order: If you enjoy dark, prog, death, black and classical in a superb package you have no choice but to check out this future classic.

Annoying and it lacks real brutality - 0%
Written by Mordant on February 17th, 2009

The silence they deserve, how about the silence I deserve, why do people insist on subjecting my conservative ears and musical taste with hodge-podge music. I'm sorry but it's not a great idea mixing and matching several types of music. Mixing Gothenburg (melodic) Death Metal with the more modern American variation, then throwing in some Hardcore, blended with some modern Thrash Metal and top everything of with some US. Power/Heavy Metal doesn’t work. At least not in my book. Sure they sound like they are really angry, and they probably jump up and down at their concerts but that doesn’t make this better then it is. I'll admit that I'm not the right guy to review this type of music, I don't like it, I think it's annoying and it lacks real brutality, and it's to sleek and to clean, but that's just me. We are all different (well I'm different) and our tastes wary, you might like this. If you like Lamb Of God, In Flames, Chimaira, Skinlab, Machine Head, Pantera this might satisfy you. I don't like this, but just because I dislike something doesn’t mean that you should dislike it. Now I'm going to listen to some Carcass, that's what I deserve.

If you believe the hyper in the mind-90’s, when Marduk were on the quest for fastest and most obscene, you would be in for some sort of culture shock when you finally played this album. Forget everything you know about these Swedish beasts and you will be pleasantly surprised.

The whole album kicks off with an untitled intro which would in later pressings be titled The Eye of Funeral, an eerier piano part played with some discordant strings giving this listener a slightly uncomfortable feeling. As soon as you catch your breath and your sanity, Marduk kicks in the door with lots of cold riffs, tempo changes and a set of vocals that seem to channel demons.

I must say that, for a band this early in their career, they are very adapt at handling their roles in the band. Andreas seems to channel the Ancient Ones, filled with anger, with every verbal lashing he hands out. Joakim Göthberg seems to fill the drumming position nicely, and would for years to come. Main man Morgan seems to share guitar duties with Devo Andersson, something he would later want full control of. And Rickard Kalm seems to fill in the bassist slot well enough, but you can tell that he doesn’t really fit there.

Musically, the combinations of the individuals play a variety of slower, doom-laden death metal (see Within the Abyss, Dark Endless and Holy Inquisition), mid-paced burners (The Sun Turned Black as Night and Departure from the Mortals) and some truly blistering fast black metal songs (the rest of the songs).

Also, the music while being fairly basic, does make limited amount of instrumentation in those days, including very sparse keyboard in a non-overpowering way, a militaristic drum beat the fits directly into the song, a funeral keyboard, an acoustic guitar used in a depressive manner, some killer and evil leads in certain spots, and well as an ending that is muffled, eerie sounding and (from what I understand) spoken entirely in Swedish. This means don’t accept them ever releasing those lyrics – even if they did, do 90% of use think we could understand it?

An overall view of Dark Endless is a positive one for me. This record has a groundbreaking aura of a naïve new band with a fascination with both death metal, black metal and the occult. If you’ve only heard the faster material (Panzer Division Marduk, Heaven Shall Burn When We are Gathererd), you absolutely owe it to yourself to give this a proper listen.

Written by Werewolfsblood on March 7th, 2005

This is the first full length CD from America's finest Black Metal band. This CD is so good I can't even put into words how many times I've played this over, and over again. Aryan Solstice is the opening intro to the album, and reminds me of something off of Absurd's Werwolfthron, but better. After the intro, there's a sample from an NS sympathetic movie, which gives the raging thrash-holocaust you're about to listen to a very powerful spirit right from the get-go. The first song, "Temples Shall Burn" is definately the right song to open up an album with. From the very first song, Grom identifies themselves immediately as seperate from the stereotypical Black Metal forumula as well as the trend-ridden Death-Black Metal crossovers you see coming out the woodwork as of late. No, Grom is influenced exclusively from the most elite of the 80's death and thrash bands... as well as many touches of oldschool Black Metal. In sum, Temples Shall Burn is a raging Anti-Semitic hymn. The next song is "Piast," which is sung completely in Polish, and follows the similar Death/Thrash forumla of days long gone. The third song is "Beastial Onslaught" which also appeared on the previous output, entitled "Beastial Onslaught." The transition happens right here, as the next song "Frontsoldatten," probably the best Grom song, kicks in with full force with machine-gun blastbeats, however, this time the guitars and bass are more high-end. The end result is as if two seperate entities are battling side by side. The next song, "For The Fallen..." is another thrash song, however the riffing at certain points lean towards an Iron Maiden influenced style, and the main riff reminds me of if a song from "Show No Mercy" and Bathory's "Raise The Dead" got drunk and had a kid... BAM!- you have "For The Fallen." "Hellenic Warspirit" is an addition taken from the "Sons Of Zeus" split with THE SHADOW ORDER, and is a great installment, even through taken from a different release, however, recorded in the same session most likely. "Hail Genocide," reminds me somewhat of older Black Sabbath, only very technical guitar riffing and has a very 70's feel, opposed to the dominate 80's feel the entire album has. "One Face, One Race" is such an awesome song, mainly because it's an RAC song mixed with Black and Death/Thrash elements, amazing lyrics, and a great "shout-out" at the end. The last song "Pagan Existance" is the last song, which is also spliced with the outro. The right way to end such a raging album is with a very somber song, which has some raging moments, however for the most part, it's a song that makes all Black Metal bands that have tried to do ballads look like fools compared to Grom. The outro, "Aryan Sun" has a very positive, relaxing feel to it, and a great way to end an album that will change the way people will view Black Metal. This album is COMPLETE, where as most albums are not. The production is harsh, and abrasive, but it's also very WELL produced. When you buy this CD, expect that you're going to be buying something with great production. Without a doubt, this CD is beyond critique, and there are no negatives about this album that a Black Metal fan will be able to find.

This album gets a score 100%, as should ALL of the Grom releases. Each is the essence of the confrontationalistic nature of what Black Metal in it's purest form that it once was, and now, thanks to Grom... is again.

Either right-click on the review area and click "this frame only" (if you're on Firefox) or right-click the review link on the album page - or better yet, the review link on the reviewer's page - and click "copy link."

Alright, well, I can't seem to get a link to the review (For whatever reason, when looking at it the bar with the web address simply displays as http://www.metal-archives.com, so if anyone would let me know how to get links for these things, it'd be nice, please excuse my ineptitude)...

At the Gates needs to appear in every book written about the history of metal. Not only are they influential in the development of the melodic death metal, but their music isn't overrated. Sadly, they even get a lot of undeserved bashing done by the narrow-minded death metal elitists who can't understand why they've progressed.

http://www.metal-archives.com/review.php?id=299#78978



First off, their music isn't overrated? That's an objective fact and a reason why they should appear in metal history books? I don't follow. And then..."waaah, anyone who doesn't like my favorite albums must be an elitist who can't understand it!" This review sucks. The rest of it is scanty and poorly written, without any really good descriptions. Misanthropic lyrics that everyone can relate to? Since when do we all have to be misanthropic? And why does he quote random lyrics at the end of the review?

Misanthropic lyrics that everyone can relate to? Since when do we all have to be misanthropic?

First off, their music isn't overrated? That's an objective fact and a reason why they should appear in metal history books? I don't follow.

And then..."waaah, anyone who doesn't like my favorite albums must be an elitist who can't understand it!

And why does he quote random lyrics at the end of the review?

A while ago, I posted a review to Neurosis - "Through Silver in Blood", my second at the time. It didn't take too long after its acceptance to realize how lucky I was to have it accepted, since I would not have accepted it myself. So yesterday night, I completely restructured it, with little of the old review remaining, and submitted a revision.

My question is: the old version was removed from the site some time after I revised it (and there hasn't been a decision on accepting it yet, so that seems even more unusual). Is this standard procedure or was the old review oven fodder? I would think if it was standard, the original would be invisible the moment a revision is submitted, but if it was intentionally kicked out, the responsible mod would likely have seen the revision in the queue shortly after. I didn't see any discussion in here either, so I'm just confused. I don't know where I would put this discussion, but it seems to fit pretty well into the oven fodder topic, so it's here.

When you edit an old review, it reenters the queue and needs to be accepted again. So yes, the old review disappears as soon as you submit the new one, granted you just erased and completely rewrote one in the edit box as opposed to deleting it first and then submitting a new review.