Artist: Marduk
Label: Century Media
Release Date: 4/17/01
|
|
Title: La Grande Danse Macabre Artist: Marduk Label: Century Media Release Date: 4/17/01 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
|
5 | ||
|
4 | ||
|
4 | ||
|
|
Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Marduk take a huge jump from the sound they achieved on Panzer Division Marduk, which was well received in most circles. And I must say that I’m most impressed with this, their new effort. While we know Marduk has two playing speeds: 1) super fast riffing and 2) the space in between songs. On this album, they add a little more time changes, but old time fans should still find enough of a wall of sound to keep them happy.
"A solid and complete album, that will appeal to the faithful and to the musical fan in each of you." The band seems to have learned a little bit from the last two Immortal releases. They’ve taken some catchy riffs and laced them through the traditional Marduk blastbeat attack. Hell, you can even hear fucking bass lines on this thing! And not only can you hear them, they are among the best rhythms ever laid down on songs so far along on the extreme spectrum. Put these things together and you have a solid and complete album, that will appeal to the faithful and to the musical fan in each of you.
This album brings me back to the nostalgic black metal days of yore, and yet it remains a forward looking effort, seemingly reminding everyone that even after all of the bands that have followed, Marduk still have a say as to what quality black metal is. What a pleasant surprise from a band who I thought was well past their prime.
Death's Review:
I'm a total Marduk rookie. Although I think people played Panzer Division Marduk for me at parties, there was always all sorts of other shit going on to distract me, and it never made a big impression. So I'm basically starting from scratch here. Still, I did come in with one prejudice: rightly or wrongly, I somehow identified Marduk with pure and utter, blasphemous black metal speed. Fast, crazy shit - I guess I expected Marduk to be barely listenable, by my standards. So when I first popped in La Grande Danse Macabre and heard the slow, plodding, doomy intro "Ars Mariendi," I knew I didn't really know anything about the band I was about to experience. Whatever the average bpm of their prior efforts, Marduk has crafted a three-dimensional metal masterpiece, an album juxtaposing the depth and accomplishment of Emperor's IX Equilibrium yet filled with more hatred and venomous bile somehow.
"Marduk has crafted a three-dimensional metal masterpiece." The awesome "Azrael" is an excellent example of what is good about this record. The song begins with a burst of speed not unlike what I had originally expected to hear throughout, but immediately reveals the skilled B. War bass playing (he sounds the best on this record on the fast stuff - it is amazing to even be able to hear a bass player mixed that high when playing this speed of music) before progressing into a far more interesting track than the first thirty seconds would otherwise suggest. Don't get me wrong, the speed and the blackend-style vocals dominate this record with tracks like "Obedience Unto Death" or "Death Sex Ejaculation" but even those songs hook you later with cool, midtempo headbanging riffs in the middle. By the time you get to the core of the record, the 7:16 "Bonds of Unholy Matrimony" followed by the killer, slow, doomy, violent, best-track-on-the-record, 8:11 "La Grande Danse Macabre," you're fucking hooked.
I don't know if the purists like the shit as slow as it's doled out on the title track, and I don't know how true this stuff is to the traditional Marduk sound. What I do know is this stuff is pretty cool, and if it is fair to still call this black metal, then I've found a style of black metal I am down with. Although the faster stuff and some of the vocals wear mildly thin at points, I definitely can recommend this CD to any adventurous fan of metal in general, whether or not you've previously dipped into the black metal realm. Fuck the keyboards other bands hide behind and the rest of that silliness, La Grande Danse Macabre is serious metal played in the finest of underground traditions yet which still manages to account for such matters as a quality production and first-class musicianship.
"Fuck the keyboards other bands hide behind and the rest of that silliness, La Grande Danse Macabre is serious metal played in the finest of underground traditions yet which still manages to account for such matters as a quality production and first-class musicianship." Bottom line: not my favorite of the year, but that's just because records like this aren't to my usual taste. Anyway, it doesn't matter so much what I think as it matters what I can tell you about what you might think should you decide to plunk down the cash and take this puppy home. Here's a guess: those who like newer Emperor, Immortal and Cradle are gonna be blown away by this record. Those who hate to hear black metal bands progress musically might be a bit bummed, I guess (but that really is a guess 'cause I don't really know where Marduk is coming from prior to this record.) Perhaps some newer fans will embrace the slower elements and drift into the fold like I'm starting to do here. Expect the critics to dig this one come year's end, and expect the band's forthcoming U.S. tour with Deicide to do wonders for their name recognition. Is 2001 the year of Marduk? I'm not willing to go that far, but you might be.
Hel's Review:
Favorite tracks: "Azreal", "Obedience Unto Death"I love all that is metal, but frequently I have noticed that I don't seem to love black metal as much as some other genres of metal. Marduk has provided me with a rarity: a black metal album I really like. In fact, La Grande Danse Macabre is a true novelty: a black metal album with good production!
Not only is the bass line actually distinguishable, it is interesting and intricate - certainly one of the strongest assets of the band. The songwriting is also impressive, showing uncommonly deft use of tempos and dynamics to capture the listener. There is guitar work beyond the standard black metal riffs, and it is nearly impossible to not growl along with the vocal lines.
"The songwriting is impressive, showing uncommonly deft use of tempos and dynamics to capture the listener." A year ago, I would have immediately given this album 5 skulls. There's been a lot of metal between here and there, and I've taken a much harder line when handing out scores since the current year began. From time to time, I find one really tough to call, and rarely is it tougher than in this case. Ultimately, I can't pull the trigger, and only the year-end review will tell if I eventually regret my decision. One thing is clear, however: this is a very good album and should be part of the collection of any well-rounded metalhead.
[- Metal Judgment Home -] [- Email Metal Judgment -]
©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.