Artist: Agathodaimon
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date: 8/24/04
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Title: Serpent’s Embrace Artist: Agathodaimon Label: Nuclear Blast Records Release Date: 8/24/04 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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4 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
Oh how the mighty have fallen. When I first heard this band in the late nineties, I was really impressed at their take on the symphonic black metal scene. They had an interesting angle that seemed slightly more 'artsy' than the big boys (Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir), and I became a fan quickly.
"One word review: Tepid." Their first album was no fluke, either. Unfortunately, Serpent's Embrace sees the band drifting too far into the mainstream, resulting in an album that sounds contrived and tepid. And while it would be an injustice to call this album a total throwaway, it is a generic, half-assed effort that seems more concerned with being a symphonic black metal stereotype than a forward-looking piece of art.
The riffs are just plain unremarkable and the vocals uninspired, and the songs themselves are undercut by an annoying bounce that seems like it would fit in with mainstream 'heavy' radio. The song "Solitude," featuring all female vocals, is another stereotype in and of itself. It's a blatant rip off of Evanescence, in both style and form, and just brings down the album as a whole.
While more loyal fans might find the band's skill at arrangement and composition intact, the simple fact is that they've cheapened their sound and taken the easy way out. One word review: Tepid.
Death's Review:
Agathodaimon employ a diverse range of sound. From Satyricon-style modern black-n-roll to Stockholm style death metal to gothic clean vocals in support of black metal shrill growling, Agathodaimon have many weapons in their sonic arsenal, and all are on display on Serpent's Embrace. One of the album's great triumphs is the interestingly structured and sonically very clear production from the Kohlekeller Studio recording. There are lots of whispered voices and layered guitars to marvel at throughout. Agathodaimon even utilize clean female vocals on the "Solitude," evoking The Gathering (recent vintage, even) as much as anything black metal. But again, the song is just a testament to the band's diversity (the ballad tradition dates back to the second Agathodaimon album). In the end, the album is catchy, professional, diverse and well-executed. Not always my first choice of metal styles, this is arty post-black metal with a commercial hook a la modern Satyricon, Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir. At times the songwriting is perhaps even tighter and more straightforward than all three. Too commercial for The End Records. Too abstract for Roadrunner. Whether or not you like this depends on your expectations and personal taste. Sometimes this is instant headbanging material (e.g., "Limbs of a Stare"), sometimes this is headphones or long car rides stuff. I like it.
"One of the album's great triumphs is the interestingly structured and sonically very clear production from the Kohlekeller Studio recording."
Hel's Review:
To say I knew nothing about Agathodaimon going into this album would be absolutely accurate. Another in the string of legendary bands that I am academically familiar with, but have had no actual exposure to, Agathodaimon managed to be exactly what I expected, and yet not, all at the same time. The album starts off with what I expected to hear: theatrical black metal bombast, but before the track ends they begin to show off their progressive side, a side which they continue to flaunt more and more as the album progresses. In many ways, I believe these two sides of the music bolster and compliment each other. No matter which way I look at it, the dichotomy works.
"You may be delighted with what you find within." I found the vocal performances to be a highlight of the album as a whole. Ranging from the archetypal black metal scream, to a deep goth-styled clean male vocal, to the guest appearance of a clean female vocal line on "Solitude," each brings something unique to the table, and all are done exceedingly well. The perfect production is another strength of the record, and further enhances an already enjoyable experience. All of the performances on the record are impressive, and the songwriting is strong, even though all the various musical permutations it undergoes.
After this experience, I am quite interested in tracking down more of Agathodaimon's catalog and finally discovering what I have been missing out on all these years. Serpent's Embrace continues to grow on me at this point, and I wouldn't be surprised to find myself including this in my revised scores in a few weeks when the anniversary edition rolls around. Until then, I heartily recommend those with a taste for the atmospheric, mellow side, as well as for cleanly produced black metal, pick this album up and give it a spin. You may be delighted with what you find within.
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