While Heaven Wept - Of Empires Forlorn review
| Band: | While Heaven Wept |
| Album: | Of Empires Forlorn |
| Style: | Doom metal |
| 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
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!
The music itself is quite common but absolutely not unpleasant. It is slow-paced, very heavy but still extremely melodic, with keyboards here and there to enhance the impression of serenity that surround Of Empires Forlorn. Far from the vociferations of doom/death, they even have the luxury to give us a beutiful ballad ['Voices In The Wind']. To sum up, these Americans are well-inspired, and they know how to spread their sadness.
Doom metal is here to make people share the band's feelings, and in this point of view, this album is a success, one of those that stay in your mind long after you removed the cd from your stereo. Actually I only reproach the short length of Of Empires Forlorn: 7 songs, 41 minutes, minus 7 minutes of boring atmospheric stuff... It's enough to lower the final rating. Beyond that, doom fans, you know what oyu have to do...
Highlights: Voice In The Wind, Epistle No.81
Rating:
8.5
8.5
|
Rating: 8.5 |
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. Read more ›› |
Comments
Comments: 15
Visited by: 67 users
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands  |
Reading back on this review. I guess you do know that Epistle No. 81 is a Candlemass cover right?
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
Loading...
|
| Deadsoulman Posts: 8004 From: France  |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.12.2007 at 22:21 I guess I'd look very cool if I said yes, of course I knew it. Unfortunately I'm a lame person, so no, I didn't know that  I don't know Candlemass evry well and I guess I did not do my homework before writing this review 
Loading...
|
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by Deadsoulman on 03.01.2008 at 19:59 If I am not mistaken I think it even said so in the booklet  Or did it just say; "Doom traditional"or something along thos eline? I can't remember, and I don't have the cd at hand. Ah, well, no harm done.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
Loading...
|
| Deadsoulman Posts: 8004 From: France |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 03.01.2008 at 20:17 Don't tell anyone, but I don't have the cd
Loading...
|
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by Deadsoulman on 03.01.2008 at 20:18  I didn't expect that of you, young man. 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
Loading...
|
| Lucas Mr. Noise Posts: 13427 From: The Netherlands  |
Is it a Swedish traditional, but not per sé a Candlemass song?
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
Loading...
|
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by Lucas on 03.01.2008 at 21:44 no it is a Candlemass original, I guess that's why they called is a Doom Traditional 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
Loading...
|
| Lucas Mr. Noise Posts: 13427 From: The Netherlands |
I must get this thing. Damn.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
Loading...
|
| Deadsoulman Posts: 8004 From: France |
Written by Lucas on 14.01.2008 at 17:23 It's definitely worth it  A great traditional doom piece.
Loading...
|
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Reading the review again and only now do I notice that your highlights are actually the two covers on the album 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
Loading...
|
| Deadsoulman Posts: 8004 From: France |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 05.06.2008 at 02:10 Excellent. That shows I could get away with it for years without knowing what I was talking about
Loading...
|
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by Deadsoulman on 05.06.2008 at 11:12 Yes, sir, apparently, so that is a job well done, you little French conman.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
Loading...
|
| Deadsoulman Posts: 8004 From: France |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 05.06.2008 at 02:10 After listening to the original and the cover again, I must admit I like the cover much better. The vocals of Tom Phillips and the organ are so emotional on this song. The Candlemass version is good, but While Heaven Wept transcend it.
Loading...
|
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by Deadsoulman on 03.02.2009 at 22:16 I agree. I also prefer this cover to the original version.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
Loading...
|
| () Account deleted |
()
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 03.02.2009 at 22:22 That makes three of us, the cover kind of gives it new 'life' in my opinion... very good review, Collin.
Loading...
|
Hits total: 4351 | This month: 5