Veeeery slow album. Did not enjoy most of it.

The second half of ''A Funeral Request'' and the last two songs are my highlights. Loved the use of the flute, but it looks like doom/death is not for me.

Vocals also annoyed me a little.

Ill try their recent works.

I used to enjoy this a lot but last time I listened it, it was a negative experience.
Propably I need to listen to it more a couple of times.

Written by Uirapuru on 27.01.2010 at 22:37

''A Funeral Request'' and the last two songs are my highlights. Loved the use of the flute

For me the whole album is immense but I agree with that, 'Reaching Happiness, Touching Pain' is sublime; the flute gives it an incredibly eerie touch, I could listen to a whole album of that kind of thing.

Incredibly slow album. Probably the slowest Ive ever heard...

I definitely preferred Cathedral when they started speeding up a little. Although I agree with 'A Funeral Request' being a great song. I like 'Soul Sacrifice' too, although the I prefer the re-recorded sped up version. lol

Written by Angelic Storm on 09.07.2010 at 05:50

Incredibly slow album. Probably the slowest Ive ever heard...

you don't listen to a lot of doom, do you?

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 09.07.2010 at 06:42
you don't listen to a lot of doom, do you?

Not really, but a Danish friend of mine is a huge doom fan and has played me a lot of doom bands. lol (though funnily, I introduced him to Cathedral ) This album is definitely the slowest music Ive ever heard. No other doom Ive heard has been as amazingly slow as on Forest Of Equilibrium.

Having finished to listen to this record right now, i can say it's their best. none of their latest efforts surpaces music quality on this one imo.

This is embarassing, but I have to come out: I've long thought Cathedral were a quaint, not very heavy stoner doom band that I wouldn't like. I'd listened to The Carnival Bizarre and The Ethereal Mirror a few times, as well as The Guessing Game when it came out. It didn't click. Thought that's all there is to this band. But now I'm listening to Forest of Equilibrium for the first time. Holy shit, same band? I have a feeling this album will turn out to be amazing with further listens.

Over time, I have warmed to the charms of this album more and more. I still think they have made better albums, but it's still a great piece of work in it's own right. I'd rate it as an 8 now.

Probably my favourite Cathedral album, or at least tied with their last one. Quite a bit of a style difference there though ;]

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 09.07.2010 at 06:42

Written by Angelic Storm on 09.07.2010 at 05:50

Incredibly slow album. Probably the slowest Ive ever heard...

you don't listen to a lot of doom, do you?

Marcel, you said what I was thinking, haha... I expected something WAY slower than this... hell, most funeral doom is a lot slower. Try Thergothon and you will know what really slow is. Although I suspect Marcel will know something that's even slower than Thergothon?

For me this is mediocre imitation of Trouble's Psalm 9. Far below the quality of the original.

I like only the perfect cover art.

Written by Vasil de Shumen on 26.04.2013 at 00:19

For me this is mediocre imitation of Trouble's Psalm 9. Far below the quality of the original.

Except when you sift away the the influence they sound almost nothing alike. Not sure how anyone could think this was an imitation of Trouble when they sound so different to begin with.

Written by [user id=4365] on 26.04.2013 at 17:43

Written by Vasil de Shumen on 26.04.2013 at 00:19

For me this is mediocre imitation of Trouble's Psalm 9. Far below the quality of the original.

Except when you sift away the the influence they sound almost nothing alike. Not sure how anyone could think this was an imitation of Trouble when they sound so different to begin with.

I pointed to a particular object of imitation - album "Psalm 9" (1984)

And the resemblance is quite obvious.

Written by Vasil de Shumen on 26.04.2013 at 19:48

I pointed to a particular object of imitation - album "Psalm 9" (1984)

And the resemblance is quite obvious.

Really, perhaps you could identify the similarities then and explain why it's so obvious. Psalm 9 is clearly heavily influenced by heavy metal, whereas Equilibrium is almost pure doom. Vocal styles are completely different and the pacing and speed of each are significantly wide apart in similarity. One is solo drenched, the other has significant use of flutes. Tone and atmosphere are also nothing alike. What similarities are you seeing? Aside from the fact Trouble has a number of slow-ish parts (Endtime for example) which Cathedral would go on to fully elaborate on and flesh out I see little to compare the two beyond the fact that Cathedral was influenced by them and shares certain generic characteristics of doom, and certainly nothing to suggest they "imitated" them.

In a nut shell:

Psalm 9 = traditional doom metal
Forest of Equilibrium = not traditional doom metal

That's a totally odd and unnecessary comparison of two vastly different albums.

Written by [user id=4365] on 26.04.2013 at 20:03

Really, perhaps you could identify the similarities then and explain why it's so obvious. Psalm 9 is clearly heavily influenced by heavy metal, whereas Equilibrium is almost pure doom. Vocal styles are completely different and the pacing and speed of each are significantly wide apart in similarity. One is solo drenched, the other has significant use of flutes. Tone and atmosphere are also nothing alike. What similarities are you seeing? Aside from the fact Trouble has a number of slow-ish parts (Endtime for example) which Cathedral would go on to fully elaborate on and flesh out I see little to compare the two beyond the fact that Cathedral was influenced by them and shares certain generic characteristics of doom, and certainly nothing to suggest they "imitated" them.

Different people - different interpretations...

In fact, Cathedral isn't a weak band, I like their third album.

Written by Vasil de Shumen on 26.04.2013 at 22:10


Different people - different interpretations...

In fact, Cathedral isn't a weak band, I like their third album.

It's not a question of quality, it's a question of identifying what sound each band plays. If you don't like this album that's fine by me but saying it's weak because it's a clone of Psalm 9 is patently incorrect. I think you'll find that most people's "interpretation" is that they both play different forms of doom metal, so one cannot be an imitation of the other, only an influence i.e. Cathedral built up Trouble's heavy-laden doom and took it more toward extreme metal by slowing it down and making it heavier and coarser.

Written by [user id=4365] on 26.04.2013 at 22:36

I think you'll find that most people's "interpretation" is that they both play different forms of doom metal ...

I respect your opinion but statistics do not provide a reliable criterion for assessing. I trust only my ears.

Constantly underlining and bolding statements do not make it true, nor is it a replacement for description and explanation, which you've yet to provide. I suggest you do some research instead of revising history.

A great debut for the band. What stands out to me is the atmosphere on every track, which is always seemingly brooding and dark (as the genre "DOOM METAL" strongly suggests anyway). The flute work at the beginning of 'Reaching happiness, touching pain' is delightful and Dorrian's vocals fit perfectly. I'm not a fan of 'Ebony tears' or 'Soul sacrifice', but they still manage to keep the general flow of the album going.

Written by Vasil de Shumen on 27.04.2013 at 10:49

Written by [user id=4365] on 26.04.2013 at 22:36

I think you'll find that most people's "interpretation" is that they both play different forms of doom metal ...

I respect your opinion but statistics do not provide a reliable criterion for assessing. I trust only my ears.

Yet Joe has backed up his "opinion" while you did no such thing and simply keep saying it's 100% opinion-based which certainly is never the case with determining what kind of music a band plays. How appealing music is to people is totally subjective, but the genre of that music is not subjective.

Anyway, Joe is right as they both play doom metal and their styles must seem very alike to one that isn't too fond of doom metal in general, but the style is definitely different.

Not sure what to think about the music yet, but the cover is really cool.

Written by Growing on 16.01.2016 at 12:15

Not sure what to think about the music yet, but the cover is really cool.

typical stoner ... same time listen from 1th to last album, because later band lose their talent

Only today I have properly checked out their entire discography.
It is their first two, doomier albums that I enjoy the most -- then again I have never been into stoner in general.

Fantastic album for when experiencing doom mood. The finale of "Equilibrium" is one of my favorite moments in all of doom, it's that brilliant.

In my opinion, those who criticise this album for its slow tempo are not fans of doom metal for sure. Disliking this album will be totally fine with me. But the tardy tempo in structure and sound is one of the musical characteristics of doom metal. Most people are disposed to talk about the first track of this album. But the tracks like 'A Funeral Request' and 'Reaching Happiness, Touching Pain' are also the jewels of this album.