QUINTESSENCE

Having made a review about their magnificent "Archaic Course", and seeing this one without any reviews yet, I had to do something to change that situation. Basically this is at the same style as the previous one, BUT... One or two facts change things! the epic stuff is still there but by now Grim, Kai and Bjornson had left the band, so you can imagine that changes had to happen. First of all, the production is probably the worst ever got out Abyss Studios( I really love some of the work recorded there: Dimmu Borgir's Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, Hypocrisy's albums, Old Man's Child's Revelation 666, etc) sounding muddy and undefined. Vortex's voice is more in the black metal style here, being his clean voice reduced to some of the most melodic parts only. My main complainment here is the introduction of Lazare's organs and stuff. This washes away many of the epic feelings. He is an incredibly talented musician, don't get me wrong, but that's not what Borknagar needed, I think. The hammond is terribly overused, the keys sound comic instead of adding that sorrow and majestic grandeur... The atmosphere changed drastically. This is more avantgardist, more progressive in a incoherent manner, if you see my point. There is still excelent musicianship, maybe too excelent for their objectives... By reading this you'll think I dislike the album, but that's not true. There are amazing songs there: "The Presence is Ominous", "Ruins of the Future" and above all "Colossus" wich is an incredibly epic song, but this album marks a turnpoint in Borknagar's career, and in my point of view, not in the best direction because my fascination for them decreases everytime a new album is released... AND CERTAINLY I'M NOT A FUCKIN PURIST! I consider this one the best one after Archaic Course and The Olden Domain, so it won't be a problem if I say it is one hell of an album. 4 stars, definetly!