Artist: Mental Home
Label: Century Media
Release Date: 4/25/00
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Title: Upon the Shores of Inner Seas Artist: Mental Home Label: Century Media Release Date: 4/25/00 |
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Abyss's Review:
This Russian band has apparently been around for a long time, but this is the first time I've been able to hear them. The last Russian metal bands I heard were probably around '86 or '87. I was in Russian class and someone brought back albums by the bands Aquarium and Black Coffee (Yes that really was their name.) It didn't take long to figure out that Russian bands suck, but after all, that was before the collapse of the Soviet Union, and freedom could have a lasting impact on the artistic quality that is now being produced there. Unfortunately it's not.
"The Russians' economy is comparable in size to the state of Delaware for Christ's sake, they've got a lot to be pissed at. Why do they sound so happy?" This disc is primarily doom with a bit of latter day My Dying Bride thrown in, but it just doesn't mesh somehow. These musicians actually seem to be pretty good, but the songs are just horrible. Even their use of different effects and instruments doesn't really help. I guess my biggest problem is that if this is a doom/goth/ambient (or whatever it is) then why does it come across as so upbeat? I think we just hit on a brand new genre, I'll call it bubbly gloom. What do you think? I mean these guys are from a country that is in such bad shape that they look back on the days of a crippled Communist economy with fondness. Their economy is comparable in size to the state of Delaware for Christ's sake, they've got a lot to be pissed at. Why do they sound so happy? I can't believe Russia can't come out with anything more pessimistic than this.
In their defense, there is a lot of potential here, and this album could easily just be looked back on as a mistake, in hindsight. Their bio defined their earlier work as a doom/death approach and it might be in their best interest to go back in that direction. Bring in some harsh vocals to add more rhythm and punch, and to give the melodies to the instruments and away from those terrible vocals.
" 'Against My Will' is really the only bright spot, but unfortunately it shares the same disc with 'Breakdown' (What I hoped my CD player would do while I was listening to this album.)" The best song on the album, "Against My Will" (as in, if I ever listen to this album again it will be "Against My Will") is really the only bright spot, but unfortunately it shares the same disc with "Breakdown" (What I hoped my CD player would do while I was listening to this album.) and the worst song on the disc "Eternal Moan" (Eternal? I was only moaning for about five minutes.) I strongly suggest you pass on this one.
Death's Review:
What do you expect a Russian metal band to sound like? I'm picturing that dude Olaf from Clerks singing "Beserkerrrrr!!!" But by these xenophobic standards, Mental Home might as well not even be Russian. 'Cause they forge a unique metal sound, immediately transcending some genre-of-origin gimmick. Opeth meets Voivod meets Sculptured meets Dimmu Borgir. Monotone, nasally vocals over progressive, experimental space-metal riffing -- all of it dripping with keys and the occasional piano. Whatever this is, stereotypical it is not.
I appreciate originality, and applaud a sense of artistry. Mental Home exhibit large volumes of both. Unfortunately, the songs are not that catchy, and, when they are, it ends up catchy in that obnoxiously, gratingly, annoyingly kinda way. Like most music of this ilk, Mental Home aren't as much about getting anywhere as they are the meandering. Of course, like bands like Sculptured and Phish who also have the chops and the demeanor to put it in gear and see where the ride takes them, a sense of higher plane often threatens to emerge. Too bad that on Inner Seas, to my ear, it never fully surfaces.
"Whatever this is, stereotypical it is not."
Hel's Review:
Yes, it’s true, the music inside the album is as complicated as the title. I generally don’t have expectations when I listen to a band for the first time. As I learned last week, it’s better not to. But if I had been trying my hardest, I could never have expected what I heard here.
From the first moment of "Downstairs," when you hear the sounds of an orchestra tuning, you realize this is not going to be simple. What happens next is wondrous. Truly, from beginning to end, the sounds are enthralling. I couldn’t categorize this one if I tried.
"Truly, from beginning to end, the sounds are enthralling." You’ve heard of movies that end with a twist, well, the way this record ends is not nearly as shocking as that, but it certainly is as unexpected as anything found Upon the Shores of Inner Seas. But I’ll spoil it, to let it go at this point would be unwarranted sensationalism, considering it’s just the sound of breaking glass. Not what you expected, eh?
The point of all my rambling is this: the closest I will get in trying to categorize (cause I have to try) Mental Home, is progressive. I use that term to imply highly technical musicianship with an experimental bent. It is beautiful and epic, and you’ve probably guessed it’s not death metal. And since you know that, you’ve probably also deduced that there will be no indiscernible vocals, unless you count a Russian accent.
The weakest part of the line up would definitely be the singer, but I think it might just be the accent. I’ve noticed that Eastern European accents tend to add a harsh edge to vocals that I don’t really like. But the singer is very good otherwise, so I am not as overwhelmingly upset by it as I generally get.
"If you're interested now, wait until you hear it." If you think you can get past that too, and you are not appalled by music that you have to pay attention to in order to follow, Metal Home could be for you. Music, with undeniably orchestral elements and all kinds of melody. If you’ve made it all the way down here, you must still be interested. And if you’re interested now, wait until you hear it.
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