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Thulcandra - Under A Frozen Sun review




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Reviewer:
6.7

88 users:
7.99
Band: Thulcandra
Album: Under A Frozen Sun
Release date: September 2011


01. In Blood And Fire
02. Black Flags Of Hate
03. Ritual Of Sight
04. Under A Frozen Sun
05. Aeon Of Darkness
06. Echoing Voices (A Cold Breeze Of Death)
07. Gates Of Eden
08. Life Demise [Unanimated cover]

I wanted to make some really cool analogy for Thulcandra being the answer (supply) to the world's demand for Dissection stocks or bonds or whatever, but I spent too much time chasing squirrels as a kid instead of reading The Wall Street Journal so I don't know what's a NASDAQ or a derivative. But if you can imagine how cool it would have been that would really help me out.

In any case, the comparison has been made so you know what you're getting yourself into with this band. Dissection worship. Melodic black metal. But unfortunately not with that trademark Swedish death metal sound. *le sad face*

When you look at a tracklist with 8 songs, most of which stretch beyond the 6-minute territory, you expect one of two things: excellent songwriting to keep you interested, or prog wankery bullshit that will put you to sleep. Under A Frozen Sun honestly takes elements from both of those expectations. On one hand the songs flow incredibly well together as if telling a story, like an album should flow. The riffs are entertaining and catchy, it's melodic yet avoids cheesy territory, the drumming is varied... just about everything good you could ask for is happening.

But then the other half of the songs kick in. That's when you sit back and stare into space because you've heard the exact same thing for the last 5 minutes. The same catchy riffs, the same awesome melody, the same energetic drumming. Drool starts to trickle down your chin and you smash your knee against the bottom of the computer desk when your cat knocks over the urn with your grandmother's ashes in it. So you roll around in them with said cat for a few minutes before the song's finally over and you can begin anew with a 10-minute tune. Only to end up feeling that same lull effect of the previous song. Drool. Ashes. Feline fanaticism.

And there you have it, a slickly produced melodic black metal album that doesn't try too hard to be The Somberlain, but one that also suffers from being unnecessarily lengthy. Trim some of the filler in each song and you're looking at an incredibly strong album, but as a result of too much cream in the Oreo (as if that can be used negatively), Under A Frozen Sun just comes across as almost good.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 6
Originality: 5
Production: 7





Written on 18.11.2011 by I'm total pro; that's what I'm here for.


Comments

Comments: 26   Visited by: 268 users
18.11.2011 - 02:06
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
For Fredd.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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18.11.2011 - 02:08
Panzerchrist
Account deleted
Aye, for Fredd.
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18.11.2011 - 02:12
Fredd
Account deleted
I love your reviews. Would you sign an autograph on my ass?
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18.11.2011 - 02:15
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Guest on 18.11.2011 at 02:12
I love your reviews. Would you sign an autograph on my ass?

Thanks! I'd give you an autograph anywhere babe.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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18.11.2011 - 04:23
RavenKing

I haven't heard this album but I heard the debut album and, imo, it's a poor attempt at imitating Dissection. If you want bands that sound like Dissection, you can find much better than that.
Sacramentum, for example.
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They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink
They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end
But everybody's only looking out for themselves
And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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18.11.2011 - 09:29
Milena
gloom cookie
I knew you'd throw a candy analogy in there somewhere.
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7.0 means the album is good
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18.11.2011 - 09:31
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Milena on 18.11.2011 at 09:29
candy analogy.

OBLIGATORY.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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18.11.2011 - 16:11
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
That's not fair dude... Oreo with tons of cream would be an analogy of music being fucking awesome... Not this kind of music.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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18.11.2011 - 19:03
a MasT

I'm not a huge dissection guy in the first place so I don't hold a big umbrella of anti-originality poo poo over these guys. I like the first album and I think this one is even meaner.
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19.11.2011 - 00:58
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by a MasT on 18.11.2011 at 19:03
I'm not a huge dissection guy in the first place so I don't hold a big umbrella of anti-originality poo poo over these guys. I like the first album and I think this one is even meaner.

I think this is actually a step in a more original direction to be honest. Their debut suffered more from carbon copying, I just didn't like how they went about structuring their songs.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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19.11.2011 - 01:12
Rating: 8
JÄY
Metal slave
I'll be dammed....songs too long....now I know the reason I stopped listening to this.
Thanks, Troy!
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19.11.2011 - 01:13
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by JÄY on 19.11.2011 at 01:12
Thanks, Troy!

Always a pleasure to point out flaws.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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19.11.2011 - 03:03
Clintagräm
Shrinebuilder
Haha, nicely done. I'll check these guys out without too high of expectations.
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The force will be with you, always.
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19.11.2011 - 03:07
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Clintagräm on 19.11.2011 at 03:03
Haha, nicely done. I'll check these guys out without too high of expectations.

I went in without any expectations to be honest. If you can get past the extended repetition you'll probably enjoy this quite a bit. I couldn't, else this probably would have scored a full point higher.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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19.11.2011 - 06:34
Clintagräm
Shrinebuilder
Written by Troy Killjoy on 19.11.2011 at 03:07

Written by Clintagräm on 19.11.2011 at 03:03
Haha, nicely done. I'll check these guys out without too high of expectations.

I went in without any expectations to be honest. If you can get past the extended repetition you'll probably enjoy this quite a bit. I couldn't, else this probably would have scored a full point higher.

I listened to a few of the songs they had up on their myspace. They were good but I ended up putting on Storm of the Light's Bane. So, if anything, at least they inspired me to give that album another fresh listen.
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The force will be with you, always.
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19.11.2011 - 06:43
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Clintagräm on 19.11.2011 at 06:34
They were good but I ended up putting on Storm of the Light's Bane.

Well you can't go wrong with that!
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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19.11.2011 - 20:39
tuerda

I actually really enjoyed this. I thought it was very good, but honestly I haven't played it very many times. I think the reason is that whenever I feel like listenning to something that sounds like dissection, I usually end up listenning to dissection instead.
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25.11.2011 - 05:06
hadriel

You sum it up perfectly. I skimmed over this album a week or 2 ago and thought it was great and couldn't wait for the full listen, saw this and thought you were crazy, so then I decided to listen through the whole thing...the songs are almost all too long.
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25.11.2011 - 05:09
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by hadriel on 25.11.2011 at 05:06
saw this and thought you were crazy

I'm sorry to disappoint!

Too bad you agree with the rating. It always sucks when you have high expectations for something and it fails to deliver in almost every way.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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31.12.2011 - 05:13
Passe

Give a try to Mörk Gryning if you want good melodic black metal. Particularly the Tusen År Har Gått... album.
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02.01.2012 - 23:02
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
I meant to read your review, but I saw a squirrel outside...
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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02.01.2012 - 23:09
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Boxcar Willy on 02.01.2012 at 23:02
I meant to read your review, but I saw a squirrel outside...

The squirrel is probably more interesting than this album anyway.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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03.01.2012 - 00:21
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by Troy Killjoy on 02.01.2012 at 23:09

Written by Boxcar Willy on 02.01.2012 at 23:02
I meant to read your review, but I saw a squirrel outside...

The squirrel is probably more interesting than this album anyway.

It was, it was missing a part of its tail, which made it unique, I called it Sam.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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23.08.2020 - 16:45
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Wtf who let me write *le sad face* in a front page review? That should be ban worthy.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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23.08.2020 - 16:51
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Written by Troy Killjoy on 23.08.2020 at 16:45

Wtf who let me write *le sad face* in a front page review? That should be ban worthy.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will be sure to bring it up whenever necessary.
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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23.08.2020 - 16:53
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by RaduP on 23.08.2020 at 16:51
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will be sure to bring it up whenever necessary.

If examples of 20-year-old Troy being a fucking moron are what you're after, there's no shortage lol
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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