Barren Earth - On Lonely Towers

Please be better than the last album.

Some kind of concept album, it seems.

Wow, I was always so-so on this band until I heard they recruited Jón Aldará from Hamferd; now I must say I love this new doom direction they seem to taking and am definitely looking forward to the new album!

Probably needs more than 2-3 listens from me, because I just couldn't connect with this album musically. The first two tracks (Howl, Frozen Processions) and the middle part of The Vault got me instantly, but the rest, darkish, doomish part of the album just seem to be forced. There is no question, the musicians are amazing, every each and one of them, but something's missing for me. I'll give it another chance these days, because I really want to like it.

For some reason I cannot stop listening to "Frozen Processions". I just love the vocals and guitars. It kind of reminds me of Before The Dawn's "Deathstar Rising" album, just a little less straightforward. More diverse.

Wow... the best Barren Earth album by far. The last one was a waste of time, the debut was hyped too much due to the supergroup nature. This... shows the band has really come to their own (=

Written by Ag Fox on 13.04.2015 at 16:13

Wow... the best Barren Earth album by far.

I think it's inconsistent, but still not bad. Feels too cut-and-paste a lot of the time, but some tracks even out the cons a little. Unfortunate as the line-up change improved their musical ability.

Written by Risto on 13.04.2015 at 16:41

Written by Ag Fox on 13.04.2015 at 16:13

Wow... the best Barren Earth album by far.

I think it's inconsistent, but still not bad. Feels too cut-and-paste a lot of the time, but some tracks even out the cons a little. Unfortunate as the line-up change improved their musical ability.

Each to their own (=
This one really yanked me away from what I was doing while I played it in the background!

Many listens later and I'm digging it more and more. I really like the vocals. The music Is a bit like Amorphis but with it's own distinct style.

Written by joshsteph on 09.04.2015 at 00:03

The first two tracks (Howl, Frozen Processions) and the middle part of The Vault got me instantly, but the rest, darkish, doomish part of the album just seem to be forced. There is no question, the musicians are amazing, every each and one of them, but something's missing for me. I'll give it another chance these days, because I really want to like it.

It's funny that I share your overall sentiment of the album but about the exact opposite aspects/parts - it's the doom and the atmosphere that have won me over, especially in songs like A Shapeless Derelict and On Lonely Towers, but the uptempo melodeath and rock moments that lost me (e.g. Frozen Processions). While I appreciate the variety like I would on any album, as a whole I feel it's more "progressive" than it needs to be here - detracting from the experience a bit. The vocals are certainly the strong point and as I anticipated, better than previous albums.