STRANGLING FROM WITHIN

Strangling From Whithin is a bizarre and captivating blend of baroque classical with experimantal blackmetal somewhat similar to Ihsahn's later work with Emperor. I will state early in this review that it is very different to the more popular In A Reverie, having a more rough and raw blackmetal tone to the guitarwork, and it focuses much more strongly on classical aspects rather than the blues and ambience that made In A Reverie distinctive.

It is not a particularly accesible album, common complaints being that it is too operatic and bizarre to please many fans of Ihsahn's work with Emperor and too sinister for fans of more mellow prog metal. That said, it is a shockingly unique, sophisticated composition showcasing the abilities of one of the finest minds in avantgarde metal and i suspect that the reason many find the album so inaccesible is because there is nothing else quite like it. Seven years after its release, it is still ahead of its time.

The musicianship and composition is first class, though some may bring the tone into question as matter of personal taste. The strings have a chilling baroque tone and Ihriel's operatic vocals and occasional screams in particular add a shrill sharpness to the music that may take a few listens to begin to appreciate.

What to rate this album really depends on who i am recommening it to. It is an aquired taste perfect for fans of avantgarde metal, or fans of extreme progressive metal looking for something new with a strong classical element. It has the artistic "something extra" such listeners seek, and would highly recommend it as a masterpiece to that select audience. However, it is just a bit too much an aquired taste for me to tag a 5-star rating on to it, so i'll give it a 4 and let the reader scale that up or down in their minds depending on how well such a style of music appeals to their personal tastes.