While Heaven Wept "Of Empires Forlorn" CD
[Rage of Achilles]
Wow. I was sort of thinking this Virginia band was gonna be doom metal or something because of the atmosphere given off by the band name and the layout, but instead this is fairly incredible old school styled metal with a darker sort of vibe going on. The singing is absolutely stunning, chock full of amazing vocal harmonies, and they also use keyboards almost constantly, but despite those minor hints at "power metal", this isn't really that upbeat or anything. The keyboards play a sizeable role, but they act more as accompaniment than a lead instrument, and the vocal performance is very tasteful, it's not over the top or dramatic per se, so I wouldn't call this power metal. The songwriting is generally moderately paced and melodic, but it's not upbeat and stuff, which is why it's really just straight metal. I haven't heard anything like this in awhile. Shit, "Voice in the Wind" is practically a "ballad" - no joke. But this is a great fucking disc. God damn, I'm blown away. Most of the tracks top six or seven minutes, but they pull it off... I'm not sure how, as there aren't a great deal of tempo changes, and they tend to rely on straightforward riffing and arrangements, but it flows. On rare occasion there are brief passages of growling vocals, and some of the thicker and more ominous riffs in songs like "Soulsadness" do lean towards an almost doomy mood... complete with bright acoustic guitars and a few discordant note choices or spoken vocal passages. They break off some great leads at times as well, from slower melodic lines to full blown dual guitar harmonies or tapping bursts. I love it. The recording is fucking superb as well. Everything is loud and clear, the mix is solid... I don't think I have any complaints. I like the density of the drums, the bass is there, the keyboards aren't overpowering, the vocals sound absolutely pristine, and the guitars are appropriately heavy. If I could change anything, I might thicken the bass and drop the keyboards and vocals in tighter with the other instruments, but nothing really needs to be changed. This sounds a lot better than most of the records I've heard as of late form much larger bands/labels, so these guys clearly know what they're doing. Visually it's alright. The text could look more interesting, but it is legible, and I do enjoy the bleakness conveyed by the front cover. All of the lyrics are dated, some going as far back as 1991, and one of which is a traditional Swedish hymn, which is interesting. Most of the lyrics are bleak and reference religion or faith on some level, generally from the stance of one who cannot be saved, or a nonbeliever, etc. "Bleak are the skies above this ruin, I've found no solace in cathedrals fallen, I am so far from the light and warmth of heaven, To the hell of myself, Alone I am damned, To weep for you..." Damn, I'm really taken back by how good this is. I love being totally surprised by a record like this. I can't speak highly enough of how perfect the vocal performance is, and the songwriting and overall quality of the recording are just really fucking well done. If you like metal and are in the mood for a good fucking record that doesn't fall prey to any bullshit pretenses, I highly recommend checking into this. (8/10)
Running time - 43:12, Tracks: 7
[Notable tracks: Of Empires Forlorn, In Aeternum, Soulsadness]
Rage of Achilles Records - http://www.rageofachilles.com

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