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While Heaven Wept - Of Empires Forlorn review



Reviewer:
8.5

51 users:
8.37
Band: While Heaven Wept
Album: Of Empires Forlorn
Release date: 2003


01. The Drowning Years
02. Of Empires Forlorn
03. Voice In The Wind [Jane cover]
04. Soulsadness
05. Epistle No. 81 [Candlemass cover]
06. Sorrow Of The Angels
07. From Empires To Oceans

When I receive records, I classify them, to see which one I'm going to hear/review first, when they're albums that I've been expecting, I listen to them immediately , but when they're unfamiliar bands I classify them. How classify them? Simply, the nicer cover arts go on the top, and the ugly ones goes on the bottom. When I received While Heaven Wept - Of Empires Forlorn I went straight to the top.

So, I'm a bit of "Cover art Racist", but like I always said, having a nice cover doesn't mean the music is good, and an ugly cover, doesn't imply that the content is bad. But, when you have nice cover art + really good music, you can't be thankful enough to the heavens!

So. Aside from the nice cover, what does While Heaven Wept has in stores for us? Doom, lots of Doom. Classical Doom Metal clearly influenced by Candlemass and Solitude Aeternus, without being a copycat of such acts. While Heaven Wept delivers epic melodies, majestic clear vocals, pounding riffs, atmospheric interludes and the whole Sorrow/Melancholy vibe. This is first class Doom Metal.

From The Opener 'The Drowning Years' you know you're in for a treat, 'Of Empires Forlorn' features some nice Death grunts at the end of the song, 'Voice In The Wind' is one of the most sad songs I've ever heard, it really emanates sorrow and despair. The album even contains a cover of Candlemass 'Epistle Nº.81' very tastefully done. To close the album we have a beautiful instrumental track 'From Empires To Oceans', just listen to the keyboards, epic and at the same time sorrowful?

This is a must-have for any Doom Metal fan, if you don't have this one in your collection, you're missing what Doom is all about .

Written by Undercraft | 02.10.2003



Staff review by
Deadsoulman
Rating:
8.5
True doom metal: people either love it or loathe it. If you belong to the second category, don't read further, because that's exactly what While Heaven Wept is doing. They are trying to ressuscitate old memories full of eerie names like Candlmass, St Vitus... And the result is simply excellent.

This band is led by the exceptional and powerful voice of Tom Phillips, who could perfectly fit in any heavy metal band, but has chosen to put his vocal abilities at the service pf genuine lamentations instead. And it's a very good idea, for the guy is able to provide us with wonderful vocal melodies, like on 'Epistle No.81'. For once I'm even glad the vocals have been mixed louder than the music. It is undoubtedly their strongest feature. Phllips can be lyrical, charming and growl sometimes... Goo job man!

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published 02.02.2004 | Comments (15)



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