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Beherit - Engram review



Reviewer:
9.5

60 users:
7.48
Band: Beherit
Album: Engram
Style: Black metal
Release date: April 09, 2009
Guest review by: metalhead3


01. Axiom Heroine
02. Destroyer Of Thousand Worlds
03. All In Satan
04. Pagan Moon
05. Pimeyden Henki
06. Suck My Blood
07. Demon Advance

Beherit is one of the oldest Finnish black metal bands and they have been in a pause for a very long time. After more than ten years of pause, they have created a new album, called Engram. With that, they have proven that they are still capable of creating great black metal.

The songs on the album are very raw and relatively short when compared to the works of many black metal bands (barring Ildjarn, Immortal etc.). There is a long song, "Demon Advance", which is more of a progressive black metal track but it never gets boring. Songs usually consist of a few riffs but what they make with that little amount of riffs is really awesome. The vocals are not very harsh, but the normal ones (in terms of black metal). Another thing worth mentioning is that the sound of the album is very unique and original.

The production is pretty bad, but it is really the least important factor when judging the music. There are some real highlights, like the last song, "Demon Advance", which was already mentioned, and the fourth track, "Pagan Moon", which is probably the most accessible of all tracks. It is a bit longer, and it is where the members of Beherit have shown their skill of creating progressive music. Not to mention that the church bells really add to the atmosphere.

All in all, it is great that the old bands are still alive, and that they show that they can still do their job very well. If you are a fan of the second wave of black metal or the early Beherit you should try this. Probably to a new black metal listener buying this album isn't the wisest choice like the mid-Burzum or early Enslaved but that doesn't make this album less great than it really is.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 10
Production: 7

Written by metalhead3 | 03.01.2010




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Guest review by
!J.O.O.E.!
Rating:
3.5
Reviewing music is a tricky past-time; one has to carefully balance a mixture of historical significance both nostalgically and factually along with comparison of a band's existing discography to its contemporaries and also its own work all the while fending off any overt personal feelings toward the subject matter. Beherit's Engram presents itself as a particularly troublesome entity when considering these facts. In the case of the band's history and influence the overriding reference will always be Drawing Down the Moon, which needless to say is held in high regard by most listeners of the genre (no more so than myself) as a landmark album that experimented with distorted, ritualistic ambient and mid-paced blackened metal. In short: it was highly original for its time. Naturally this brings us onto Engram:

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published 23.05.2010 | Comments (11)


Comments

Comments: 5   Visited by: 110 users
03.01.2010 - 03:12
Richard
Elite
Intriguing review. I haven't heard this album yet, but it may be worth a listen, methinks. If it in any way recaptures a strange atmosphere such as that of Drawing Down the Moon, it should be interesting.
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06.01.2010 - 18:05
THE_BLACK_GOD
Account deleted
Written by Richard on 03.01.2010 at 03:12

Intriguing review. I haven't heard this album yet, but it may be worth a listen, methinks. If it in any way recaptures a strange atmosphere such as that of Drawing Down the Moon, it should be interesting.

totally agree with you.
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07.01.2010 - 11:48
THE_BLACK_GOD
Account deleted
Ok, Im on it right now, wanted to mention it when I read this review. if its production sucks as you said, so how did you give a 7 for it? I think 4 is the highest point for this production.
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25.05.2010 - 20:30
Rating: 9
AtrumHiberna
Written by [user id=31891] on 07.01.2010 at 11:48

Ok, Im on it right now, wanted to mention it when I read this review. if its production sucks as you said, so how did you give a 7 for it? I think 4 is the highest point for this production.

Raw or "bad" production is made on purpose by many black metal bands. This is how black metal is. I prefer this kind of production when i listen to black metal. I've heard much worse productions and i actually find it quite cool this way.(when it's used by black metal bands)
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This is my worship, this is my path...
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27.02.2012 - 18:17
Lokaeda
Account deleted
"Originality - 10" ? Looks like I'm missing the picture here
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