MY ANGEL (VINYL)

Arcturus, one of the most popular artists in modern Progressive Music have managed to progress amazingly well. None of their releases, unless you count Constellation which sounded a lot like its successor(obviously), were similar at all, meaning mood, sound, as well as feel. My Angel, a really short EP released before the arrival of Garm, with a line-up of three people, two of which would never leave the group(Hellhammer on drums, and main composer keyboardist Sverd who also plays the guitars on this album), doesn't show the group's bright future at all, however, it already reveals the existence of a Norwegian group that isn't afraid to stay away from generic ideas in the air at the time but create their own unique music instead.

The title track My Angel opens the album. It doesn't sound like anything I have ever heard in my life. Describing the 'feel' of the sound is impossible for that reason, but those of you into Funeral Doom should know what it is the closest comparison here. It is a minimalistic, even ambient track with good bass parts, atmospheric appropriately touched keyboards, Hellhammer's neat drumming and vocals full of despair(they're artificial though). The lyrics here are even more minimalistic than the music itself repeating the cheesy line I need you, I love you, you're my angel over and over. What I'm describing doesn't sound pleasant and this really isn't a song one would enjoy. This is really a disturbing journey through a sick desperate mind, and one should listen it to fully form an opinion, although you can't deny it is the most disgusting, scariest 6 minutes of music created on Earth. Morax is the only other track here, very inchohensive and more aggressive than the title track. Some of the moments here hint on what would come later - in fact, I can guess that they returned to this song during their career to take away some parts and form into others. It is interesting because of its historical value, but as a whole is terribly crafted. Sverd plays the guitars here as well, although different people would perform the guitar duties on the other Arcturus albums.

What is left to say is that I simply have no idea how I would rate this album. I could give it any rating from one to four stars that wouldn't really contradict my opinion on the release, however, I've decided to give it the worst rating since nobody would search for this album on his own, since it was released for about 1000 copies more than 10 years ago, and also because it was later remastered and re-released on Aspera Heims Symfonia/Constellation/My Angel(with two others albums), which I suggest for your pre-La Masquerade Infernale Arcturus needs. Interesting, but I am no longer surprised to hear that nobody wants to re- experience this album after listening to it once. I feel strangely tempted to listen to it from time to time, so you can say it is fascinating enough.

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