Universe217 - Familiar Places - review
Universe217 - Familiar Places - review
Tracklist
01. Sorcerer Of Light02. Insane
03. City
04. Seek
05. TV Lovers
06. Nothing
07. Prey
A review by
KwonVerge June 04, 2011
Familiar Places is quite a complex release, but hell, no, don't expect exaggerating progressive rock/metal over-abused instrumentations. Simplistic ideas tend to forge an affected scenery depicted on a sound canvas whose colors start floating all over the place from a moment and on. The complexity lies in the way Universe217 blend together all those ideas and FX and present them as a whole from the very first until the very last breath of the album. There's a doom sensation lurking, the overall tempo ranges from low to mid velocities and the whole philosophy reflects an internal experimentation that is not willing to cease. And then take into consideration early Beyond Dawn's calmest and most atmospheric moments, Green Carnation's Journey To The End Of The World's inner passages, later In The Woods... and of course some ambient/post caresses and down tempo, dark alternative rock ideas; then the landscape becomes more clear.
Still, you cannot refer to this band as a copycat of the aforementioned bands and/or influences, there's something quite personal and gently devouring in here coming your way. Tania's interpretation is majestic and ever-expanding, heart-rending and at the same time threatening in the most appealing way, something like an eclipse of the sun, a nowadays Cassandra in spiritual confrontation with Diamanda Galas having tea with Anneke Van Giersbergen. The guitars whether they move upon a doom-oriented riffing pathway, present a groovier edge or accompany in down-tempo dissonant chords perform an utterly atmosphere-evoking role. A big plus, among various FX, keyboard infusions and flirting sounds from various instruments, has to be the trumpet whenever it makes its kind appearance; you'd never think a rose's petal would hurt more than the thorn. As for the rhythm section, it's in the right place, neither getting lost in the production nor getting on top, accompanying the rest of the band in the most appropriate manner, leaving here and there some very interesting ideas, proving that they' re not just lending groove in the compositions but they are an important part of them.
Concluding, Familiar Places is a masterpiece, a little 30-minute diamond lying at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, waiting for you to bring it to the surface. Keep in mind that you'll require enough amounts of oxygen despite its not so lengthy duration, a sense of drowning is inevitable; manic depression never sounded so tempting before.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 9 |
Comments
Comments:
13
Visited by
231 users
 Posts: 40071 |
Posts: 40071
Another classic? Mmm, doubt it. What's with all the 9 and 9+ scores lately by a couple of reviewers?
---- 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...
|
 Posts: 21306 |
Posts: 21306 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 05.06.2011 at 02:42 It's Rozz, a 9.0 isn't exactly a rarity from him. 
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
Loading...
|
| Posts: 40071 |
Posts: 40071 Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.06.2011 at 02:46 true, especially if the album is by a Greek band 
---- 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...
|
 Posts: 5068 |
Posts: 5068
Well, i review albums i want to review and apparently i like, i can't be bad on them on purpose As for the greek band, if it's good to me, it's good, if it's not, i can't say it's good
---- Dec. 30, 1334. ...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...
|
| Posts: 21306 |
Posts: 21306 Written by KwonVerge on 05.06.2011 at 03:04 Oh ya, I didn't mean to suggest your ratings are a reflection of poor judgment, just that you happen to dole out a lot of high marks (for reasons you stated of course). If you have two or three reviews up on the front page it looks like the reviewing team actually enjoys the music we talk about. 
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
Loading...
|
| Posts: 5068 |
Posts: 5068
Let's enjoy da reviewed music! and i prefer reviewing albums i like to albums i don't like cause i want to spend more time listening to the album i like in order to review it rather than spend time on an album i don't like
---- Dec. 30, 1334. ...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...
|
|
Posts: 184  |
Posts: 184
It sounds pretty good, I probably won't get it but its worth remembering just in case.
Loading...
|
 Posts: 2574 |
Posts: 2574
Holy crap!!! Holy effffing crap! THIS IS EPIC OMG OMG OMG!!! AAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
---- 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
Loading...
|
 Posts: 684 |
Posts: 684
Lol the first sentence made me think "Wait. They have money for music in Greece??" 
Loading...
|
| Posts: 5068 |
Posts: 5068 Written by Windrider on 06.06.2011 at 18:32 Yeah and "we ate it together".
---- Dec. 30, 1334. ...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...
|
| Posts: 684 |
Posts: 684
Loading...
|
| Daydream Nation
Account deleted |
|
|
Posts: 240  |
Posts: 240
Somehow it's like listening to Led Zeppelin playing atmospheric doom... Nice!
Loading...
|
Hits total: 7090 | This month: 2