Melechesh - The Epigenesis - review
Melechesh - The Epigenesis - review
Tracklist
01. Ghouls Of Nineveh02. Grand Gathas Of Baal Sin
03. Sacred Geometry
04. The Magickan And The Drones
05. Mystics Of The Pillar
06. When Halos Of Candles Collide
07. Defeating The Giants
08. Illumination - The Face Of Shamash
09. Negative Theology
10. A Greater Chain Of Being
11. The Epigenesis
A review by
BitterCOld November 05, 2010
Melodic black metal. Ho-hum. Don't we see enough of this?
Well, not quite like this.
The band, originally from Israel (they have since migrated to the Netherlands for personal and professional reasons) draw their primary influence from the ancient history of the region, going back to Sumerian and Mesopotamian times for imagery and lyrical themes. They also incorporate loads of scales and instruments that are foreign to many of our western ears. Or even our metal ears. (Quick. Name five albums that also feature a baglama saz, bendir, tar, and saz. )
The result is exceptional.
Thanks to the sneer of vocalist Ashmadi, and his teaming with ninja-guitarist Moloch for some great riffs with a fantastic tone provide what would be upper-rent melodic black metal if they just played it straight. These guys are undoubtedly quality musicians.
Now when you add to that foundation all of the exotic scales and instruments most of us have likely never heard of (right, sure, you have a santur lying around your house just gathering dust) it creates a wondrous atmosphere. The midpaced pieces, like "Sacred Geometry" and "Mystics Of The Pillar" have an almost ceremonial feel to them. The faster pieces on the album, such as "Grand Gathas Of Baal Sin" feel like the heated, whipping winds of a sirocco when they do surface, and punish the listener.
The album also features a couple wondrous instrumentals that further the mood of the album, while also providing a short respite from the assault.
The Epigenesis concludes with the vast and sprawling title track, an ambitious piece which goes of for 12 minutes, capturing the various moods and modes of the album into one hell of a closer.
I suppose in trying to describe the band and album, people might jump to "Melechesh is to melodic BM what Nile is to DM"... but that is only a partially accurate way of looking at it. With Nile, it's an Egyptian-enthusiast's Egyptian themed metal band. This has a more organic, natural feel. It's not a "Sumerian themed" metal album so much as a Sumerian metal album. If that makes sense.
While the songs are enjoyable, largely for their "uniqueness" when projected against most of the MDM landscape, the album is perhaps a bit long - it's about a full hour in before the epic closer starts... but if the band continues to put out albums only during World Cup years, I'd rather get too much than not enough.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written on 05.11.2010 by
Written on 05.11.2010 by
BitterCOld has been officially reviewing albums for MetalStorm since 2009. Comments
Comments:
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| !J.O.O.E.!
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Posts: 6213
At first glance this one is quite discouraging - 70 minutes of music, pleanty of songs. But if you know Melechesh and enjoy their other releases, you should definitely check this one out.
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Posts: 711
It's not bad, but it's no Emissaries and it's too long for my taste. I'll give it another try though.
---- Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.
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Posts: 847
Good review, but it should be mentioned that the band dropped their trademark "oriental drumming", which made me pay them attention in the first place. Now I'm not confused if I should mosh or dance: I just mosh.
---- Notre destinée n'est pas encore tracée....
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Posts: 232
I've been listening to this album for a couple of weeks now. At first I felt it was too slow, but the more I listen to it the better I like it. I don't think it's as good as Djinn or Emasseries but this band is so unique that they simply make great albums. Also, "The Magickan and The Drones" is one of the best songs they've ever released.
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| Kenos
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Posts: 2574
The world cup comment is brilliant!  It would be even funnier if Sphynx had been released in 2002.  I listened to Epigenesis only once (before the review was posted), and now I am encouraged to listen to it again, but when I think about the length, I want to play something different.  Still Melechesh is something you have to check out.
---- Savor what you feel and what you see Things that may not seem important now But may be tomorrow R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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Have only heard the songs on their MySpace, but they were really good, so I'll have to check the rest of the album too
----  Dreams are made so we don't get bored when we sleep
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Posts: 264
I was able to hear about the ongoing production through a friend since it was produced in Istanbul at Babajim Studios. Good that the production is being recieved nicely globally.
---- i'm super, thanks for asking
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Fuck yeah
---- You try to awaken me, the flesh dripping with blood My body is there, but my soul a perilous void Aethereal existence coming off in ambient waves I am nothing. I AM N1H1L.
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Posts: 4919 Written by elseif on 14.11.2010 at 01:04 Ya', what kind of a song name is that? The song's cool, though. I'm still trying to get this band. Never liked it... seemed too catchy. :?
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Posts: 18622 Written by Ragana on 06.04.2011 at 12:45 For someone who bleeds math like me... I love that title Also... it's the combination of catchiness but still being very "in your face" that I love in this band which put them in the first place for me among all the other stuff that is supposed to sound from the middle east.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Posts: 4919
Hey, I like maths too, but it just seemed... funny. I like funny. :? Yeah, well, I go for Orphaned Land and - just as you - think it's the best among bands that sound oriental, but I'm not gonna compare both bands just... because. They're totally different although both have that unique Middle Eastern sound (well, that I obviously like in both bands), there's just something about Melechesh that I haven't figured out yet.
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Posts: 18622 Written by Ragana on 06.04.2011 at 19:12 My answer to your post will be exactly the same as yours but the band names the other way around 
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Posts: 4919
I know. Eh, tell me which is the best album by Melechesh? Maybe I just listen to the worse albums and try to get something out of htem...
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Posts: 18622 Written by Ragana on 06.04.2011 at 19:42 I actually know very little about this one but the one I like the most must be Emissaries. I just think the first 2 songs are perfect and also the hipnotic folk instrumental (it's in the middle I think)... But from what I heard of this one I could recommend it to along with Sphynx. IMO they went from "good" to "pretty damn good" with Sphynx. So yeah... The 3 latest album with special mention to Emissaries (specially thr first 2 song and the intrumental but all that album is gloriously sunny)
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Gloriously sunny, huh? Allrighty. XD I've heard 'Emissaries' a couple of times and I do remember some very catchy melody (I'm not so sure about 'Sphynx'), but I suppose I gotta listen those albums in a different order. And more than now.
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