Band:	Dis Pater
Album:	Princess Of The Emerald Garden
Style:	Doom metal
Release date:	2003
A review by:	Undercraft

01. The Painter
02. The Emerald Garden
03. Coming By The Moonlight
04. Unbearable Game
05. Arcturus
06. A Distant Fluite's Weeping
07. We Will Touch The Sky
08. Fire In The Tunnel
09. Last Words
10. Genesis

Every time I receive an album of a band with a name that I don't know what it means, Immediately research the meaning on the web or in my personal library, in this case, Dis Pater, means Rich Father in Latin, in Roman religion, he was god of the infernal regions, the equivalent of the Greek Hades. Also known to the Romans as Orcus, he was believed to be the brother of Jupiter and was greatly feared. The Gauls regarded Dis Pater as their ancestor.

Besides been a Roman god, Dis Pater is a bands from Russia that plays sad and melancholic music. The band is firmly rooted in Doom Metal, but a lot of Gothic influences can be traced, mostly in the instruments, like piano, violin and flutes. (Victoria, who plays Keyboards and flute, also plays in Tvangeste).

Enough introductions, let's get to the point, because is incredible that this band is still "underground" and no major label has picked up this one, Russia keeps surprising me, first Tvangeste and then Dis Pater. The music is just amazing, very sad compositions with those gloomy violins and the excellent deep voice of Rodion.

The first track "The Painter" sets the mood with a depressing piano line, but this is just the beginning, because later, Rodion comes singing along with the violins, then at the middle of the song there's a calm break only accompanied with the violin, some growls can be spotted later.

Most of the songs of the album are very lengthy, clocking around 8 minutes each, but don't worry because there's not a chance that you'll be bored by any of this songs, all of them are very unique, let's take for example "The Emerald Garden" at first we can only hear the piano and Rodion, with a smooth guitar line in the background, later we can hear the guitars enter the arena accompanied of some growls, just to return to the initial calmness.
Especial mention to a stand-out track; "A Distant Flute Weeping" what a fantastic song, when I heard the flute in this one, my body shivers with melancholy, standing ovation for this one.

So, we have sad and lengthy songs, excellent musicianship, nice "extra" elements like the flute, violin and piano, there's no doubt that Dis Pater are one of Russia's best kept secrets!
Please go to their website and download some of their songs, or if you want, the entire album, because is available for download, please comment and tell me what you think about these guys, because I think they're just great!

Download tips: A Distant Flute's Weeping, The Emerald Garden, The Painter, Unbearable Game, We Will Touch the Sky.