Wedard - Eskrieg II
Wedard continues his icy legacy with releasing the second part of his Eshkrieg story, this time again with another EP. Even though there are only a few tracks, it is certainly long enough to be a full length due to lots of epic works. The music is cold and atmospheric, a combination of Vinterriket and Agalloch, but Wedard adds a bit more atmosphere through his vocal work. On tracks like the introduction, they are clean and echoing, which is a unique effect not often used in black metal, and when it is usually it with the shrieks that become so reverbed it is impossible to hear them. There are shrieks in the mix too, but they are barely audible in the snowstorm of distortion and music created by all the other instruments such as on the track "Winterdepression II." Listeners will probably enjoy the cleaner vocal sessions more. Musically, the album is saturated in keyboards which somehow ring out clear enough amongst all the other chaotic sounds of the guitars and drums. Wedard tries to keep the atmosphere like a winter storm so it is very hard to hear; some might call it cheap production, others can call it artistic expression. Tracks like "Towards The Lonely Path..." are more straightforward black metal so everything is a little bit louder, especially with the drums, but the kyeboard bits still make it pretty atmospheric, and here and there things will quiet down enough for the eye of the storm to get in some very pretty melodic notes before blasting off again.
The track "Diminished" is supposed to feature work from a fellow ambient black metal band, Midnight Odyssey, but the issue here is that it is very difficult to pick out in the noise. Midnight Odyssey is not very well known so to really pick out the band's distinct touch amongst Wedard's sound is almost impossible. The album closes on a hidden track, similar to the opening in the way the clean, droning vocals are used, but the music is much more chaotic and heavy in the vein of the other tracks rather than soft and atmospheric. Still, it would have been a bit of a strain to have Wedard repeat itself all over again, so perhaps this is a good move even if it may not make the most lasting impression. Overall, one could say Wedard's 'Eskrieg' part II is at least as good as the first one. The music may not be too varied and tends to stick in one vein of sound, but for atmospheric black metal it plays out well and it is much longer than most would have anticipated considering Wedard
The track "Diminished" is supposed to feature work from a fellow ambient black metal band, Midnight Odyssey, but the issue here is that it is very difficult to pick out in the noise. Midnight Odyssey is not very well known so to really pick out the band's distinct touch amongst Wedard's sound is almost impossible. The album closes on a hidden track, similar to the opening in the way the clean, droning vocals are used, but the music is much more chaotic and heavy in the vein of the other tracks rather than soft and atmospheric. Still, it would have been a bit of a strain to have Wedard repeat itself all over again, so perhaps this is a good move even if it may not make the most lasting impression. Overall, one could say Wedard's 'Eskrieg' part II is at least as good as the first one. The music may not be too varied and tends to stick in one vein of sound, but for atmospheric black metal it plays out well and it is much longer than most would have anticipated considering Wedard
- Solitude (intro)
- Eskrieg II
- Winterdepression II
- Towards The Lonely Path Of Winter
- Diminished (feat. Midnight Odyssey)
- Hidden Track
Label: http://www.platten-firma.de
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Jun 12, 2011
Jun 12, 2011
Next review:
Ungod - Cloaked In Eternal Darkness
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