Band:	Septicflesh
Album:	A Fallen Temple
Style:	Atmospheric death metal
Release date:	March 09, 1998
A review by:	KwonVerge

The New Order
01. Brotherhood Of The Fallen Knights
02. The Eldest Cosmonaut
03. Marble Smiling Face
04. Underworld (Act 1)

Testimonial
05. Temple Of The Lost Race
06. The Crypt
07. Setting Of The Two Suns
08. Erebus

End Of The Circle
09. Underworld (Act 2)
10. The Eldest Cosmonaut [Dark version]

11. The Last Time [Paradise Lost cover] [2014 Reissue bonus]
12. Underworld (Act 3) [2014 Reissue bonus]
13. Finale [2014 Reissue bonus]
14. The Eldest Cosmonaut [Single version] [2014 Reissue bonus]

After three successful releases, "Mystic Places of Dawn","Esoptron" and "Ophidian Wheel", Septic Flesh decided to release "A Fallen Temple" one year after the release of "Ophidian Wheel". This release includes new compositions but also new versions of the compositions that were consisting of the rare mini-cd "Temple of the Lost Race" released back in 1991. In my opinion "A Fallen Temple" was a very important release for Septic Flesh for many reasons. First of all it was the album that Septic Flesh took one step further the sound of "Ophidian Wheel" sounding more affected and mature. Then, the symphonic ideas that were overrunning their compositions since the dawn of their existence now become reality turning into complete songs by the help of Chris Antoniou that was studying orchestration in UK. And, finally, after 3 releases, the production of Septic Flesh is equal to their worth (you can listen even to the bass lines! - the first step for a good production was made during the recordings of "Ophidian Wheel"). For me "A Fallen Temple" is the quintessence of Septic Flesh consisting of the primary and chaotic brutality of "Mystic Places of Dawn", the dark and mystic aesthetic of "Esoptron" and the higher technique and mature compositions of "Ophidian Wheel" showing great new compositions just like "Brotherhood of the Fallen Knights" and "The Eldest Cosmonaut" and at the same time bringing in the current sound, but also keeping the primary feeling, of the release that started it all, "Temple of the Lost Race".

The album begins with its first part, "The New Order", consisting of the new compositions of Septic Flesh. Some eerie keyboard sounds echo from beyond and "Brotherhood of the Fallen Knights", a various composition filled with wonderful and inspired guitar riffing and solos, the deep draconian voice of Spiros along with Sotiris' chants and the ethereal vocals of Natalia Rassoulis, begins. Another composition written by Sotiris follows, one of the most well-known Septic Flesh compositions and a successful video clip, "The Eldest Cosmonaut"; Sotiris expresses wonderfully his lyrics and Natalia adds with her ethereal voice another aesthetic to the dark serene soundscape of the composition being evoked by the wonderful keyboard ideas and the guitar chords. "Marble Smiling Face" continues the album with its wonderful guitar work and Spiros' brutal voice harmonizing utterly with the tranquil interpretation of Sotiris. The first part of the album closes with a classical piece written by Chris, "Underworld - Act I", a composition filled with wonderful orchestrations and expressive female and male operatic voices that escalate the composition along with the imposing and intense orchestral moments.

The second part is "Testimonial", consisting of the composition of the "Teple of the Lost Race" mini-cd. The homonymous track opens the second part with the one great riff coming after the other and Spiros singing ecstatic as never before howling with his draconian voice forming one of my favorite Septic Flesh compositions with a dark atmosphere being evoked only the guitar riffing and the brutal vocals. "The Crypt" follows which is another fierce work by Septic Flesh with static great guitar riffing, beautiful-sounding solos, awesome vocals and atmosphere-evoking keyboard pieces that echo at times adding an intense at times whilst at others serene feeling in the air. The album continues with "Setting of the Two Suns", a composition with nocturnal bass lines and for one more time wonderful guitar work continuing the album in an appropriate dark way. The second part ends with "Erebus" (Erebus = Darkness), a composition enriched with beautiful solos and intense nightmarish keyboard melodies whenever they enter the song as the fiery guitar riffing goes on accompanying Spiros' hellish interpretation.

The album, and the first era of Septic Flesh, close with the third part, "End of the Circle", consisting of "Underworld - Act II", another orchestral piece in the mood of the first act filled with intense moments and expressive operatic voices whilst at moments Spiros howls and a dark version of "The Eldest Cosmonaut" with Spiros too on the vocals along with Natalia and Sotiris.

"A Fallen Temple" was the closing theme of the first great era of Septic Flesh as a band, the "end of the circle", of their first circle. A Dark New Age period was about to begin?