Equilibrium - Sagas review
| Band: | Equilibrium |
| Album: | Sagas |
| Style: | Viking folk metal |
| Release date: | June 27, 2008 |
| Guest review by: | VPeter |
Disc I
01. Prolog Auf Erden
02. Wurzelbert
03. Blut Im Auge
04. Unbesiegt
05. Verrat
06. Snüffel
07. Heimwärts
08. Heiderauche
09. Die Weide Und Der Fluß
10. Des Sängers Fluch
11. Ruf In Den Wind
12. Dämmerung
13. Mana
Disc II [Bonus DVD]
On Stage:
01. Zürich 2006
02. Essen 2005
03. Winternachtstraum 2006
04. Party.San 2007
05. Tiny Time Travel
Treasure Trove:
06. Equilibrium In Legoland
07. Nach Dem Winter 2002
08. Blut Im Auge 2002
+ Studio Report
+ Backstage
+ Online Material
+ Photogallery
Equilibrium are one of the most promising young folk metal bands out there - at least for most people. I myself wasn't that impressed with Turis Fratyr, it was enjoyable but it sounded a bit to much like Menhir and many other more underground German Folk/Pagan bands mixed with Finntroll. But now they are back and have gathered everything they can, to bring one epic masterpiece who will surely convince all critics!
Or not.... one of the problems of the debut, was that the vocals sounded way too repetitive.
They are the typical dry raspy German Folk metal screams we know and they actually sound worse on this album! The singer now sounds like a barking puppy, instead of the deeper raw growls of the debut and is still as repetitive as ever. The main problem also with this album is that it is way too over the top and overproduced. It's like a sailor asking for wind in the sails, but getting a hurricane in return. It's just one big chaos and it becomes really tiring if you try to listen to the album in one go.
But there is also joy, Unbesiegt is one awesome tropical Folk metal song, which instantly put a smile on my face and is my favourite track by far. Mana is also epic but it creates this feeling of a coming storm that never comes and makes you want to wish for more when it ends. Many songs aren't that bad but lack a structure and variation thanks to overproduction, repetitive vocals and the too over the top way of playing.
Sorry chaps but you still haven't convinced me, I know you guys got the skills but it's time to do something about your ego and start working on your bad parts. It's an okay album overall but not a great album as many people claim it to be and definitely isn't the best Folk metal album out there. I know I first said I preferred Sagas above Turis Fratyr, but I take it back, because Turis Fratyr isn't that tiring to listen to and the vocals are a tad better. Sagas does sound more original then Turis Fratyr though.
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Rating:
9.6
9.6
|
Rating: 9.6 |
Folk metal came in with such force as the new popular thing and is now drifting slowly out as legions of monotonous bands have sucked the genre dry of all originality, but these Bavarians are here to breathe new life into this genre with their second album "Sagas". Equilibrium already burst onto the folk metal scene with incredible energy three years ago with the impressive but somewhat one-track minded "Turis Fratyr" and now return with a more mature, more diverse and truly masterful epic opus to take the world by storm. Read more ›› |
Comments
Comments: 18
Visited by: 154 users
| Talvi Posts: 825  |
Unbesiegt was also the song that made me wanna listen to this more and more. Hands down the best song of the album, and the most original, along with Mana.
---- My account on other musical pages: http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/ http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13254  |
And for the less cynical of us who don't think this album is a product of overblown egos, you'll agree with my review.
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| VPeter Posts: 1450  |
Written by Baz Anderson on 05.11.2008 at 17:22 different opinions Barry don't take it personal 
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13254 |
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| Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Elite Posts: 2749  |
Sagas is definitely better than Turis Fratyr, I agree. I was blown away by this album, but I'm not gonna bitch and moan about the rating on this... nice review, very concise, constructive criticism.
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| Smurfkiller Account deleted |
Smurfkiller
Account deleted Written by VPeter on 05.11.2008 at 17:37 Too bad he's right.
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| DanielViking Posts: 163  |
I think this album diserved more... it is so full of great melodies and a great fusion of thrash and heavy metal with death growlings... great songs and atmospheres... 8 IMO.
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| annodomini Posts: 784  |
I am staying with Baz , this review is not right for this music. It deserves much more.
---- the riddle wants to be...
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| omjaimes omjaimes Posts: 99  |
Tropical Folk Metal ... lol .... I think that this song isnt tropical ... is viking metal... tropical vikings, I never thought in this things???...jeje Unbesiegt si a song that use antique scales, and i believe that represents a viking fest, a night fest to show the power of the viking man, free of the catholicism.
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| VPeter Posts: 1450 |
Written by omjaimes on 07.12.2008 at 23:55 care to explain the monkey sounds at the end of the song?
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| omjaimes omjaimes Posts: 99 |
Written by VPeter on 08.12.2008 at 18:00 jejeje .... i dont know in 4:57 ... seems a monkey sound, but i dont know can be a bird too. so i dont deny, the drums makes feel a jungle dancing atmosphere but too a viking atmosphere with the strings and flute
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| VPeter Posts: 1450 |
Written by omjaimes on 08.12.2008 at 20:43 it's both, you hear a bird and some ambient rainforest sounds and then a monkey.
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| Kinetic Posts: 180  |
This album does have tropical sounds. However this is a solid album considering the technical aspect. I rate it 8 out of 10. Only Snüffel and Mana are true gems. The rest had potential to be better.
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| Morphis Posts: 80  |
I enjoyed the album great entrance and the last songs are also very good will be putting it more times on my cd player for sure. By the way, in the end of Dämmerung there are no monkey its crows the same crows that appear on the beginning of some songs in Turis Fratyr. And it seems to me that the song as nothing to do with tropical or jungle atmosphere. Seems more in the nightfall about the last journey of the warrior the journey to his death probably. Nice review thou.
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| Jason W. Razorbliss Staff Posts: 3523  |
I can't really decide which review of the album I agree with more, or disagree with more  . I think this rating is closer to my opinion of the album, but I still think this album is a strong 8 - it's a got a great studio sound, but I do agree, the vocals are more annoying on this album than interesting in too many songs. Often, I found myself just wishing the tracks were instrumentals - which is untrue of the first album.It's going to be really hard to top this album in 2008 for the genre, not because it's the best or most interesting, but because it's so well put together, and has such broad appeal for folk metal fans. A really well produced disc if you look at it that way  But do I think the band is overrated? A bit - so that's why I'm agreeing with you here Arutha more than Baz's review. But are they terrible, not at all.I just can't take a lot of their message seriously though - with songs like "Unbesiegt," with its Caribbean/tropical intro, it makes me wonder what the purpose of the music is? I don't know what the lyrics are, so I can't decide - but in no way can I take the music seriously with fully non-Viking ideas, or whatever this band is trying to put forth (I'm actually not fully sure). I guess I need a bit more depth in my music, or at least I just haven't found it yet here. I guess my opinion is somewhere in the middle of the two reviews, but so many people in love with this album, it's hard to deny its appeal...
---- "After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Yeah. Nice to see different opinions. XD At least I agree about Turis Fratyr.
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| MétalNoir Fils du Lys Posts: 847  |
I don't agree on any single point of this harsh and cynical review... Sagas is one of my favoite albums ever, and I can't understand people who complain about "too over the top way of playing" and "overproduced" music... It's like saying this album is too good, which is a nonsense. People who expect black metal from this band will be disappointed, since their sound is closer to extreme power metal, IMO. At least Pétur might be pleased with the new vocalist, who sounds a little more "raw growls".
---- Notre destinée n'est pas encore tracée....
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| Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857  |
Tropical atmosphere or not, this album makes me wanna climb a fucking mountain. Then when I get to the top, I'll ride on a zebra and go on a fucking viking safari. >:[
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