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...Review: "Age of Winter Kings"... |
MUSIC EXTREME (Argentina)
Some screams and battle sounds....then some acoustic guitars and violins....then a really dark and extreme voice ....then comes the rest of the excellent music of this band from the Czech Repucblic. Here we have a band whose style they describe as slavonic black metal. That is this guys with no doubt play black metal (they have speed, they have the really extreme voice) , they also have the dark feeling in the melodies and they also have an epic feeling that most of the bands in black metal style don´t have....and they have many voices that sing epic melodies within some of the songs (they are really original!!). This guys are extreme and have original riffs that are essential to their music. This elements combined with the good sound that the recording has makes a good album...one of those albums that you really enjoy from beginning to
end.
<<
ARISTIA WEBZINE
rating: 7/10
Severomoravská kapela ADULTERY vydává právě teď svůj debut, a sice u příborské firmy Avalanche productions (která mimo jiné vydává i kapely SACRIST a ENOCHIAN). Tato poměrně mladá sebranka charakterizuje svůj styl jako "slovanský black s folklórními prvky". S tím se dá poměrně souhlasit, i když musím přiznat, že taková škatulka budí dojem, že jde o nějaký undergroundový SPBM a ADULTERY jsou přitom black/doomovou kapelou, která vychází spíš z moravské doomové scény 90tých let, podobně jako třeba ADOR DORATH. Je tam slyšet i onen zasněný a přitom depresivní feeling, který můžeme pamatovat ze starých nahrávek ENDLESS či DISSOLVING OF PRODIGY a který tolik miluji.
Hned prozradím, že ADULTERY jsou skutečně kapelou, která nemá ještě dost věcí dotažených k dokonalosti nebo aspoň k zcela jasně definovanému sebevyjádření. Blackový skřehot působí dost nejasně a sípavě, produkce taky není bůhvíjaká, čistý vokál je přesně v mezích hlasového rejstříku prostého pohanského barda. Všechny tyto nedostatky nádherně dokreslují atmosféru, kterou ADULTERY rozhazují plnými hrstmi. Patří k těm kapelám, které by přílišná preciznost srážela - zmizela by spontánnost, emotivnost jednotlivých skladeb. Čtyřčlenná sestava z Havířova s pomocí čtyř hostů (například houslistka či v jedné skladbě hostující zpěvačka) vyprodukovala monumentální album, které se nádherně hodí k procházkám po moravských zříceninách a podzimních lesích. Jako nejsilnější songy bych označil úvodní koncertní flák "Dark Ages", pohanský řev ze samých útrob historie pokryté prachem z mrtvol nepřátel, dále "Struggle of Curse", kterážto skladba svým potenciálem v chorálových melodiích ukrutně umocňuje atmosféru a nakonec skladbu "Crystal Light", která některými hitovějšími kytarovými aranžemi připomíná již zmiňované nové hvězdy atmosférické scény, ADOR DORATH.
Texty jsou samozřejmě plné pocitů, atmosféry, dávných válek, lesů, králů zimy - prostě plné absolutní upřímnosti. Koho zajímá, že jde o klišé? Jde především o maximální sebevyjádření lásky k přírodě. Nelze než to zcela respektovat. Nelituji vražených peněz do tohoto počinu a můžu ho vřele doporučit všem fandům atmosféričtějšího black metalu. Přeji kapele vše dobré a těším se na další počin! Jsem rád, že kapely s nábojem jako ADULTERY ještě nevymřely a stále a stále hrají a bojují svůj nerovný boj s hudebním průmyslem.
LORDS OF METAL
Rating: 75/100
David: “Age Of Winterkings” is the debut album of Adultery, who hail from the Czech Republic and, as they already confess themselves, play epic black metal with folk influences.
And indeed, this description does fit the music perfectly, because from the opening track “Silent Breath” already you know what to expect. The noise of battle which transgresses into a moody instrumental piece and finally ends with a spoken (or rather grunted) piece. Now perhaps this might not be the most original way of opening up your CD, but in this case it obviously works pretty well. Following this, the second, up-tempo song “Dark Ages” then uses those typical Bathory-like choirs (you know – the usual “Oh Oooh Oh”). This then continues during the complete 17 tracks of the CD – clean epic vocals that trade off with heavy grunting, choirs which pop up here and there as well as sporadically used female vocals, fast tracks that are alternated with more balladesque songs – more than enough variety in there to keep everyone happy thus.
It has to be said though that not everything is quite as positive. For example, the more extreme grunting is occasionally of lesser quality and sometimes doesn’t quite seem to fit the mood of a certain song. Also towards the end of the album some of the faster tracks tend to sounds a bit too much alike, causing a strange sort of deja-vu which leads to the tendency to skip some of them. Finally coming to the production though, there isn’t really a lot to fuss about, and especially not for a debut, since everything sounds like it should and can easily be identified from each other without problem.
Definitely not a bad CD, and certainly worth checking out if you happen to like the typically epic sort of viking / folk metal. Tracks like “Silent Breath”, “Tears” (my absolute favourite), the very atmospheric “Confessions Of Immortality” (very nice !) or the brutal “Black Well” certainly show that the band is capable of a lot of things and, with enough support, should have no problem to rise up and place themselves amongst the elite of this genre
<<
Rise for Victory'zine #4 (Poland)
I’m positively surprised with brand new Adultery’s debut CD (do not confuse it with Desultory!) – a band from Czech Republic, which has confirmed to young label Avalanche Productions. Almost an hour of a stuff, which name reflects the content, „Age of Winter Rings”, provides with fast and no-compromise black metal. However, the first notes didn’t foreshadow its extreme speed pace. The track „Silent Breath” is a lucid relation to the pagan heritage. Sounds of war, violin instruments, acoustic guitars. The second track shows at last the potential of the band. Venomous guitars, rumbling drums, mad vocal and some clear voice as well. Apparently nothing extraordinary, but they can surprise. First of all due to the fact, tat they play aggressive black metal and doesn’t lengthen the tracks too much, composing keyboard suites at the same time (as, for instance, Helvetto does). Secondly, when there’s clear voice, they don’t slow the pace to stress the pathos (as pathetic Venedae does). What’s more, the folk stuff is sort of separated and don’t create the impression of being lively and idyllic atmosphere etc. (as funny Heol Telwen does). The sound plays an important role here. Heavy, massive and fulfilling the requirements to be called black metal. The release is brilliant. Thick booklet comprising the band history, lyrics, pics. and stuff. Maybe English is not the best here (read “thx for Marakhor). Apart from that, there’s nothing to pick on. (Mirek)
Ivan Jelisavcic
Rating:
4 out of 5
Uninspiring and inoriginal moniker "Adultery" hides the extraordinary band from Czech Republic. They create music for all the people who are into medieval, rennaissance or folkloric melodies and mythology, ancient tales, bards and folklore in general, but who prefer all that to be "spiced up" with a certain modern touch in sound, most often in the form of extreme metal. "Age of Winter Kings" is Adultery's first full-length release (new EP was supposed to be released this april) and it contains 54 minutes long mixture of galloping-tempo anthems of epic black metal, which has it's musical darkness replaced with warrior mood and that is also played by bands such as Griffar, Menhir, Trollech or Forefather, and most beautiful neo-folk songs that have nothing to do with metal and would suit Sol Invictus's albums. The atmosphere of this release is enchanced by samples of battles, birds' song, horses' gallop etc..., as well as by acoustic guitars and a violin. The songs are short, 3 minutes in average and there are even 17 of them. They show variety and aren't boring the listener. Blackish vocals are done by certain Akharon and theatrical parts with clean singing are done by Elrabor - founder of the band and one of the guitar players. One of the tracks - "The Confession of Immortality" features female vocals and sounds just perfect for a Blackmore's Night release. "Age of Winter Kings" is the big surprise, mighty album with excellent melodies and true medieval atmosphere. It doesn't loose it's power in calmer tracks. Should Adultery continue to produce albums of such quality, I expect them to become really famous as they certainly deserve to be.
Official site: www.adultery.cz
Descripción : ADULTERY tiene en las melodías oscuras su fuente de poder, de la cual se alimenta para dar a la criatura una sombría y fría atmósfera de extremo black metal. Si bien la banda esta mas cerca del llamado “Folk” y del “Pagan-Metal”, hay momentos donde riffs heavys, ochentosos, junto a excelentes voces “limpias” en algunos casos (y bien guturales y agudas en otros) hacen a su propuesta mucho mas dinámica que las diferentes bandas que pululan este “negro” planeta. “Age Of Winter Kings” fue grabado en 2003, en la Republica Checa (de allí provienen estos “blackers”) y editado por Avalanche Productions para todo el mundo. El disco tiene obviamente pasajes de extrema violencia, donde las voces agudas y desgarrantes junto a bases de guitarra característicos del estilo, logran un protagonismo casi excluyente. Para comprobarlo escuchen “Dark Ages”, “The Ancient Prophecy” o “Death Of Sun” (en este caso mi preferida) y verán como el black puede “seducir” a mas de uno cuando las canciones son compactas y “vuelo propio”, a pesar de lo extremo del estilo. También el disco propone sonidos más melancólicos, sumadas a pasajes que nos transportan a lugares y tiempos medievales, donde la llegada a los sentimientos más profundos de parte de voces femeninas se reflejan en el excelente “Confession Of Immortality”. “Silence” es una cancion donde las voces limpias tienen preponderancia en una intro con gaitas y golpes de batería casi a ritmo de “ritual”, creando momentos de sombría quietud y melancolía. “Age Of Winter Kings” tiene en su construcción una excelente combinación de black-folk, thrash, y hasta heavy metal, todo aggiornado por interpretaciones casi perfectas, las cuales en conjunto forman un disco para no pasar por alto. ADULTERY nos invita a recorrer un camino oscuro pero encantador, sombrío pero inquietante, y lo que es mejor, nos acompana para que la llegada de la noche nos encuentre cobijados en su guerrera humanidad.
Schvermetall (SWI)
Punkte: 9/13
Spielzeit: 53:58
Kommt mit auf eine Reise in eine Epoche, wo Kriege noch Kriege waren und wo
geballte Mannskraft noch zählte. Begleitet die vier Krieger von Adultery auf
ihren vorchristlichen Pagan Metal Schlachten und lauscht den Tönen vergangener
Zeit. Hört die Klänge vom Eisen der Schwerter und Mannsgeschrei, von Geigen,
Pferden und Festen, erfüllt von Hass und Melancholie: Das erste grosse Gefecht
der Tschechen hat begonnen!
Nach einer kleinen Demoschlacht sind Adultery nun zurück mit ihrem Debüt „Age Of
Winter Kings“ und wollen ihre Durchschlagskraft in grösserem Rahmen beweisen.
Ihre Waffe ist slawischer Pagan Metal, ihr Antrieb der Zorn der alten Götter.
Was geboten wird, ist gar nicht so unkonventionell: Der Gesang variiert zwischen
sauberen und geschrieenen Lauten, sowie einigem choralem Vokalgesang und
Geflüster; die Gitarren sind meist verzerrt, bieten ab und an neben extremem
Black Metal auch eher melodieorientierte Riffs; die Trommeln sind mal
blitzschnell, mal eher gemächlich. Doch trotz dieser Konventionalität vermag das
Opus der Slawen gestandene Pagan-Jünger zu bekehren. Es sind spannende Übergänge,
geschickte Arrangements und interessante Songstrukturen, die der Scheibe zur
Durchschlagskraft verhelfen. Auch die fehlende Engstirnigkeit vermag mir
löbliche Worte zu entlocken. So weiss der aus reinen Geigenklängen, feinen
Trommeln und weiblichem Gesang bestehende Song „Confession Of Immortality“
Herzen zu zerreissen. Gleiches gilt für die besinnlicheren und bisweilen
heroischen vier Stücke am Ende der Scheibe. Hier werden Erinnerungen an
akustische Stellen von Suidakra wach.
Es ist jammerschade, dass die Genialität der Band nicht überall perfekt in Szene
gesetzt wird: Manchmal geht es mir etwas zu lange bis die Trommeln die Richtung
ändern oder die Riffs eine ungeahnte Wendung nehmen. Aber dies tut der
gelungenen Grundstimmung der Scheibe nichts an. Wenn die Neu-EUler beim bereits
vorangekündigten nächsten Silberling die vereinzelten Geigenparts verstärkt
einsetzen und noch etwas an Melancholie zulegen, bin ich äusserst zuversichtlich.
Denn dort liegen schon heute ihre Stärken!
<<
Adultery, along with Ador Dorath, belong to the Czech scene we
rather know for Maniac Butcher, Darkstorm, and naturally old Masters of Root,
even the Death Metal band Avenger, and younger Black Metal acts as Trollech or
Stiny Plamenu to notice some.
Adultery gathered in 95, to play fast and melodic Death Metal, and after some
line up changes the former member Elrabor write new material of Slavonic
Folklore Black Metal, the musical style Adultery perform until. A first Demo CDr,
'Age of Seven Towers', is self released in 2001, and sign in 2003 on Avalanche
Productions, that releases the first full length 'Age of Winter Kings' the same
year. The band played several time live, and the actual line up is composed of:
Akharon (vocals), Edrogh (guitar), Von Borowitz (drums), and Elrabor (clean
vocals and guitar). A second Adultery release is out this spring, 'Slovanská
krev' MCD, released this year at Dawnart Studio, you get samples and complete
overview on their site.
The present 'Age of Ancient Kings' is a long album, composed of 17 tracks, or
hymns, of melodic Death Metal deepened by Pagan and folkemusic, epic tones and
tales, legends even more ancestral inspirations stressed by natural guest noises
and the use of classical instruments.
The first 'Silent Breath' is opened by epic guest noises of an ancestral battle
stressed by a violin melody, slowly darkened by slight rhythmic beats and lower
violin melody. Low yet whispered Death vocals fit the melancholic atmospheres
surrounding this melodic intro.
But most of the tracks are played on a fast tempo, in a rawer and more extreme
Metal style, a blend of heathen Black Metal and more aggressive Death Metal that
reminds aggressive and forceful. This restless style is softened by an overall
contained sound that put some melodic tones in the most brutal passages. The
different vocals add noticeable variations to the tracks, as on 'The Return of
the King', or 'Dark Ages', in turn straightened by short screams, strangled
growls and lower guttural growls on the faster passages, or in turn deepened by
backing male choirs and clear vocals on the lighter breaks.
Sustained muffled beats thicken the varied and incisive guitar work that raises
most of the tracks, as on 'Black Well', or 'Last hope', also marked by several
short grinding parts and more abrupt rhythm changes surrounding the several
breaks, or the ultra fast 'Crystal Light', pierced by darker passages with
faraway male choirs, thunder guest noise and fast instrumental lulls.
Clear vocals alternate with harsh vocals with the same dynamism, and the music
keeps a good aggressiveness along the whole album, with more Grind even old
school Thrash tones on some tracks, as the sharp 'Tears', raised by more marked
riffs, constant broken beats, the alternation of harsh Black vocals with lower
DM growls, and enhanced by an epic break, where clear male choirs strike up the
main melody.
Even more old school tones mark the dirty 'Death of Sun', brought out by
alternated vocals more screamed tones, accelerating parts and darker yet
progressive breaks dominated by a melancholic yet tragic feel.
The highlight is the darker 'Forgotten Rites', opened by short battle guest
noises, and raised by heavier riffs and low BM vocals. Ultra fast rhythmic beats
and lower riffs mark the aggressive parts, while harsh intermittent vocals dwell
the slower and more epic breaks.
Adultery also blend genuinely Pagan metal parts to their solid Metal style,
adding several epic and more experimental intro and outro to the rawer tunes, as
on 'Struggle of Course', opened by short wind noise, or 'The Ancient Prophecy',
ending with short dark ambient part.
The album seems cut in two parts, a first part gathering the most extreme and
aggressive tracks, and a second part displaying epic and Pagan tunes marked by
spoken vocals, and atmospheric passages.
A short violin tune, vivid muffled percussions and whispered male vocals mark
the haunting 'Silence', enhanced by spoken male vocals and natural guest noises.
The vast 'Time' is a Pagan track divided in 3 parts, the first being a
melancholic song played with acoustic guitar lines and violin melody, spaced and
low spoken vocals. A more solemn spoken voice, and slight driving beats thicken
the second part opened by acoustic guitar notes and natural guest noises of
birds, while several violin melodies intertwine and enliven the third part. The
last 'The Final Trial' is an epic and melodic outro, marked by heavy riffs, an
overall slower tempo, and surrounded battle guest noises. 'The Confession of
Immortality' is a contrasting and intense track of folkemusic, that begins with
a higher ancestral tune played with a violin, and ends with short animal howls.
Rhythmic percussions and female clear vocals raise this driving track marked by
more popular overtones.
An excellent and varied album of Slavonic Black Metal, that keeps a dark and
epic vibe along the whole album.
This is a long album that requires several listening to be fully appreciated, if
you already are into such acts as Venedae, Saltus even Berserk, get it. The
Black/white layout isn't the strongest point of this release, the crude glowing
frames and the small writing aren't especially aesthetic, but I'll end with
Adultery statement:
Only the life anb death is freedom
only the strength and might is reign
only the love and loyalty win
and chill and cold let in!
You can contact Adultery at elrabor@seznam.cz, or via snail:
Elrabor - c/o ADULTERY - Franta Zemcik - nam. T.G.Masaryka 800/6736 01 Havirov-Sumbark
- Czech Republic
or get samples and further info at Adultery official website, check also out the
Czech experimental Black Metal band Ador Dorath.
I don't know what labels it is. When was it founded? I only know they gave us two CDs! This is the first one of review – following the review you look for deep inside of zine... Even I never heard about this band! Czechs have fine scene! Sometimes will happen something good. Other times will happen bad, but that is everywhere. ADULTERY is team bipolar in one's own creations. Will be able to attract listener and to push away. One can to say, that nowadays this is normal. If went about these repulsion. The team will be able to absorb the attention receivers on longer. And this means, that rather does not stand on lost position. One can courageously say, that will be with them cool people... Maybe they are already! Because something me seems, that they do not belong to young people! Czechs treated us pagan / black with elements folk... In abundance of here battle - turmoil, disappointing of wind, of feminine voices... In sum all is on one's own place and has one's own substance and right of existence. Though I do not intend to admire the disc, because does not have over what! What that ADULTERY is pleasant in reception that fondled every fragment! But this all is for one fashion. Practically nothing happens. If already follows change this it is in sound and surely had to follow... They operate black vocal and clean voice from man's lungs. Is lacking to them faiths in this what they do. I do not feel so as at listening our r.i.p. THY WORSHIPER! Both bands do not have with each other anything common. Attitude this element “pagan”! I will not lie, when I will say, that pleasantly this listens through first half of material... Later I go out. Sorry, but I will wait on next the disc... And I hope, that will be more in style of „Forgotten Rites”!
ADULTERY are not a common band; they hail from the Czech Republic, have 8 members (including two girls) and mix a totally raw and underdeveloped Black Metal with some fresh folkish touches, including a few violins and clean choruses. On the other hand, “Age Of The Winter Kings” has no less than 17 songs in a bit less than one hour, which is interesting due to the fact that every single track seems to have exactly its proper length.
When I was listening to the opening song “Silent Breath” for the first time, I have to say I was really scared… ambient sounds such as the sound of a battlefield (a disgusting cliché if you ask me) and vocals that seem to be the noise from a rusted garage… fortunately and even although those things will remain constant during the whole album, the variety in their music keeps you interested all the time… I could write a lot of criticisms about ADULTERY music, but certainly not that they’re boring.
All songs have a truly simple structure… corrosive but misplaced riffs a la DARKTHRONE, drums that, although good, sound like drowned behind the strings and some demonic grunts that follow a predictable line… on the other hand, there are a lot of “outsider” infiltrations related to Folk Metal, but they seem to be spread randomly instead of being an important component of their music.
There is not a lot of originality in ADULTERY… ok, ultra-raw Black Metal isn’t always spiced with folkish elements and a bombastic, majestic epic atmosphere, but instead of creating a unique style out of genre combinations, what this band does is a kind of collage, where some things are just misplaced. Check this band if you’re interested in the style they play (where they’re still a bit above the average), but you won’t find anything you hadn’t heard before under a better version. (Online December 30, 2005)
Questo nome potrebbe indicare in modo molto semplice ed intuitivo un qualunque gruppo grind o qualcosa di simile, ma tutto questo pensiero strano e sconnesso che ho fatto leggendo il moniker della band è totalmente sballato. O meglio, lo è in questo caso: gli Adultery non suonano death nè tantomeno grind, ma un buon black metal, facile facile ma di discreta fattura. L'artwork fa in modo che questo disco si distingua in mezzo alla marmaglia di tutti gli altri: tutto in bianco e nero, tutto oscuro e tragico (o tragicomico, vedete un po' voi). Risultato: un secondo errore di valutazione. Dopo essermi sbagliato sul moniker, ora sul genere: credendo che un tale artwork fosse necessariamente legato ad un certo tipo di sonorità black metal (e cioè viking piuttosto che epiche, eccetera), ho fatto il bis. Tutto questo è abbastanza giustificabile, non avendo mai onestamente sentito nominare questa band. Band che, dal canto suo, compie un buon tentativo per essere eventualmente ricordata meglio una prossima volta: black metal, dicevo, discreto, non eccelso, ma apprezzabile, in uno stile che richiama sia i migliori fasti dei Venom che quelli più recenti di Mayhem e compagnia briscola. Bene, se volete, provate ad ascoltarli, ma sappiate che sotto il sole di novità non ce ne sono!
De muzikanten van Adultery omschrijven hun muziek als 'Slavonic folklore black metal'. Alhoewel dit album pas recent zijn toegestuurd, dateert hij alweer uit 2003. Het begint met een veelbelovend intro waardoor ik iets in de trant van Enslaved verwacht. Die belofte wordt helaas niet waargemaakt.
Simpele folk-deuntjes in een black metaljasje volgen elkaar in een hoog tempo op. Af en toe een ballad voor de afwisseling, kan het eentonige karakter van de muziek niet verbloemen. De muziek is simpel en te vlak en de ballads zijn te glad. De krijs van Adultery's zanger is nog best te pruimen, maar zijn cleane vocalen zijn echt niet om aan te horen.
De teksten die uitgebreid in het in zwart/wit boekje staan afgedrukt en eisen een heleboel inlevingsvermogen, die ik in ieder geval niet kan opbrengen. Tenslotte is de productie redelijk, maar simpel. Kortom, een zeer geschikt album om je zwaard weer eens voor uit de kast te halen of om een volksdansje te maken, maar niet om echt serieus te nemen.
Dette er visstnok en slags demo, men det får jeg ikke helt til å stemme. I og med at det er en fullengder, og den er utgitt på et selskap, så burde vel det tilsi at dette er et fullstendig album eller hur?
Uansett, tsjekkiske Adultery fremfører en slags blackmetal med store innflytelser fra slavonisk folkemusikk. Derav termen "Slavonic folklore blackmetal", som det står på cd´en. Du har sikkert hørt lignende musikk før, det har jeg også, men det er intet kriterium i seg selv for å skulle unngå å høre på dette bandet. Dette er faktisk ikke så ille. Småkjapp og småhissig folk-blackmetal er det bandet serverer, med skrikevokal og teatralsk ren vokal. Sånn omtrent midt inni skiva dukker det opp en ballade, av alle ting! Med ei dame som synger om tapt kjærlighet eller noe sånt. Har ikke helt orka å sette meg inn i tekstene enda, haha! Litt malplassert kanskje, men låta er da fin den. Interessante riff finner man både her og der, både med akustisk og elektrisk gitar. Teknisk er det helt ok med fine trommeprestasjoner og ditto gitarer og det er faktisk litt god rock´n roll her også.
Lyd og produksjon er også veldig bra.
Av det som er å plukke på er det vel den rene vokalen som er verst. Den er ikke så veldig god, for å si det sånn. Heldigvis så bruker ikke vokalisten(e) den mer enn de gjør. Skrikevokalen er tøff nok, men også den blir litt slitsom i lengden. Merker meg flere partier hvor growlevokal hadde passet mye bedre, faktisk. Noe annet som irriterer meg er at jeg hører at trommeslager Borowitz er veldig dyktig, men bandet bruker ham ikke skikkelig! Her hadde det vært fullt mulig å utnytte hans ferdigheter bedre. Låtene har også en tendens til å bli litt vel like etter hvert.
Alt i alt så er dette ei spennende skive fra et band jeg forventer å høre mer fra i fremtiden.
Men de burde seriøst kvitte seg med det tåpelige navnet. Utroskap?
Piskande black metal sammanflätat med medelålders krigshistoria – en
samling kompetenta musiker från Tjeckien som spelar något så särpräglat som
pagan/folk/black metal. Vad har dessa gossebarn att erbjuda månntro? Hela 17 spår har de
lyckats baka ihop och ”Age of Winter Kings” är faktiskt deras enda fullängdare.
Musiken har inget nytt att erbjuda och allting görs på sedvanligt manér. Naturligtvis är
det ingenting fel i det. Men här kommer problemet; det är slätstruket och det mesta låter
likadant. Nåväl, de har friskt blandat folkliga visor med hårdare black metal-osande spår
men vad gör det när det i slutändan blir lika enformigt som att kolla på TV-Shop?
Sången består av ett mörkt och rabiat skrikande som passar väl in i denna mix
tillsammans med manliga Bathory-vokaler, som jag skulle vilja kalla det (ni vet det där ”Oh Oooh
Oh”-andet”). Tyvärr är den sistnämndas insatser av tvivelaktig kvalité.
Men även mörkret har sina ljusa stunder, eller vice versa om ni ser det så, de är få
men de finns där. ”Confessions of Immortality” är en behaglig och förhållandevis kort
trudelutt där de har lämnat skriket åt sidan och valt att bara använda sig av kvinnlig skönsång.
”Black Well” är en aggressiv stänkare med thrashvibbar och gör sig tillsammans med
”Tears” till två av de mest aggressiva och rentav bästa spåren på skivan.
Det är mörkt, rått och rentav lite episkt men det gör sig inte tillräckligt intressant för
att falla mig i smaken. Är du begeistrad i sådan här musik kanske du kan få ut mer av
Adultery än vad jag får.
I switched my promo with Blackrain, because he wasn’t fond of Slavonic Folk metal. Yes people, Slavonic Folk/Black metal, as Adultery is concerned. The record is called “Age Of Winter Kings”. They’re coming from the Czech Republic and this is honestly the first band in this genre from Czech, which I ever heard. I expected that the quality would be somewhat lower than those well-sponsored bands, but I found myself astonished with the fact that their sound kicked away most modern hitbands. I do lie now, because people actually listening to those hitbands would probably say otherwise. The sound is dark and very grim produced, which is precisely to my liking for this kind of music.
It all starts with an intro, which I find rather stretched out, it goes on and on and on… the song that follows however, is really nice to listen and it somewhat resembles with Menhir and Skyforger. I’m not always in the mood to listen to this kind of music, but I can really appreciate this when I do am in the mood. The lyrical theme is mainly about the Slavonic tradition and ancient tales. I do not possess all the know-how of this genre, but I really enjoyed listening to this album. The vocals are definitely a big plus because of the variety in changes in the voice. Menacing growls, but also the kind of vocal style you can hear with Menhir. To get a nice idea of the music, listen to Last Hope or The Ancient Prophecy. I personally favoured Confession Of Immortality and Silence, but that was after smoking a blunt.
I would recommend this album to people who can withstand some decent folkish black metal with grim tunes and a very nice dark atmosphere. If you do not find yourself back in this, then do not bother to buy it. My only advice will be to visit their website and listen their MP3’s, which are distributed to download.
opgesierd met een sombere melodie en wat onverstaanbaar gebrabbel beginnen zich bij mij al kenmerken van verveling te manifesteren. Na dit begin geven deze heren Tsjechië gelukkig wat gas en laten hun niet bijster originele, maar zeker vermakelijke 'Slavonic Folk Black Metal' uit de speakers galmen.
De hoofdnoot van de muziek is vooral het koude old school black metal gedeelte, dit is niet altijd even origineel, maar toch is het zeker prettig om te luisteren. Het is meestal in up-tempo gespeeld afgewisseld met de nodige blastbeats. Het folk element is vooral terug te vinden in de intro's en outro's en de gedeeltelijk cleane zang die ik overigens een beetje dunnetjes vind (hoewel het wel een stuk zuiverder klinkt dan het dronkemansgelal wat bij veel folkmetal voor cleane zang moet doorgaan). De cleane zang zorgt vooral in combinatie met de krijsende zang voor een lekker koude en winterse sfeer.
Productioneel gezien is het een stuk zuiverder dan een groot deel van de black metal export uit de Oostblok, alle instrumenten komen duidelijk uit de verf maar toch binnen een voor black metal acceptabel geluid.
Liefhebbers van wat oudere black metal gemengd met folk elementen zullen zeker hun plezier beleven aan deze schijf. Persoonlijk zou ik het folk element zoals de mooie vrouwelijke zangstem in het nummer Confession of Immortality veel meer naar voren halen. Nu lijkt het alsof het folk gedeelte (op de cleane mannenzang na in de nummers zelf) vooral bedoeld is als intro en outro, het zou een stuk interessanter zijn als dit meer in de muziek geïntegreerd zou woorden denk ik. Desalniettemin zeker een lekkere plaat die wel bij dit winterse weer past.
Every time you get your hand on a Czech band, you expect it to be innovative music. In this case, it doesn’t quite transpire as Adultery plays a quite traditional epic black death metal. Screams, battle sounds, chords, violin and acoustic passages thrown here and there amongst fast black metal background, you can expect conventional music. BUT, Adultery are almost perfect at what they do, those musicians and songwriters can compose and brightly arrange and that makes all the difference with the bulk of band walking this metal path. The music displayed throughout the seventeen tracks of this «Age Of Winter Kings» has a lot more than just another celtic epic black metal though. Tempos continuously vary; alternating fast and furious passages with slower (technically crafted) sections. There is also (or perhaps should I say above all) the intelligent use of different vocal works to add different levels to the soundscape produced. Thus, whilst «Age Of Winter Kings» is not the most innovative recording of the year, the (top) quality of the songwriting and musicianship make this one is far above the genre usual standards.
Patricia.