Artist: Extol
Label: Tooth and Nail / Solid State Records
Release Date: 1999
Rating: 5 Skulls
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Title: Burial Artist: Extol Label: Tooth and Nail / Solid State Records Release Date: 1999 Rating: 5 Skulls |
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Equinox's Review:
With the release of their stunning first full length album Burial, Norway's Extol brought a fresh sound into a market filled with a seemingly never-ending number of clones and clones of clones. These guys don't really sound like any other band; they have captured a sound and personality that is distinctly theirs, immediately identifiable and immensely enjoyable. Technical and tight at times, in-your-face and aggressive at others, and highly melodic throughout, Extol managed to combine every one of these aspects in just the right amounts to create amazing music that is at all times introspective, reflective and beautiful.Bursting forth with an all out blast beat/double bass riff right away, the intense, powerful introductory number "Into Another Dimension" starts things off. The intro is a good indicator of the melodic aggression to come, and does not sacrifice melody even in the fastest and thrashiest of times. This number fades out, and the fade back in growl heralds the beginning of "Celestial Completion." This song is overflowing with great melodic riffs, and excellent technical/stamina drumming from David Husvik. The mostly growled and screamed vocals of Peter Espevoll are very fitting for the mood of this number. You can't help but bob your head along with the flowing, streaming melodic metal riffery as you're led into the next track, in this case, the title track. "Burial" starts fast and aggressive, then leaps into a soaring, ethereal segment with well placed sound effects over steady double bass. Interesting riffs abound in this song, as is the case for all of the songs on the CD. There are also a good number of odd-time riffs which keep the music interesting but are never overly showy. Smart bass playing from Eystein Holm enhances the feel and effectiveness of the song breaks, and the broken bottle sample is very cool as well.
"Renhetens Elv" is one of the more emotional songs on Burial, and begins with a fade in of the sound of flowing water, then a slow paced, highly harmonious opening riff commences, with an underlying drum beat which churns along steadily with the ringing notes. Gorgeous guitar playing and deft drumming and cymbalwork make this song a jewel. There is, as is the case throughout the CD, an immaculate song arrangement where each riff greatly compliments its neighbors. So many original riffs, so many good harmonies. A clean, acoustic guitar version of the opening riff makes an appearance, then the track ends on the same slow riff with which it began.
"Superior" is relentless and rumbling at the get go, starting with a melodic speedpicked riff and a thrashy beat, then a prog metal feel develops and solidifies the song with clean stop/start parts, great double surface ride work and another interesting arrangement that remains so while not ever sounding awkward. Beautiful riffs and strong vocals lead to a fast, wailing fadeout, and the excellent "Reflections of a Broken Soul" is next. This one begins with another ultra memorable riff with a cool effect, and develops into a powerful, majestic metal juggernaut. The clean vocals provided by guitarist Ole Borud are strong and uplifting, and they highlight the great mix of growled and sung vocals on Burial. This is one of the harder hitting songs here, and in delightful dynamic contrast to this, it ends with one of the happiest riffs on the record, and the single most triumphant sustained vocal cry ever caught on CD.
This brings us to the awesome "Justified" The clean guitar intro and chugging, up tempo opening riff lead into the single most heartwarming riff my ears have ever heard. Extremely full harmonies fully showcase the immense talents of the guitar duo of Borud and Christer Espevoll. Moving between upbeat and mid tempo with immense melody and harmony, this song is simply phenomenal, and has one of the best song arrangements ever. "Embraced" follows with the fastest blast beats on the album, always used intelligently and never sounding too over the top. More trademark odd time riffs are found here on this, the shortest track to be found on the CD, but where it is not a long song, it is certainly very sweet, with deep riffs, fitting a lot of good into a small time frame.
"Innbydelse" comes in with a slow beginning, complete with more rumbling double bass and wailing, echoing guitars. Great high register singing and fast speed picking are only some of the highlights of the track. Another awesome mix of fast parts, progressive riffs, and great guitar playing can be found here; Extol really do not ever write a bad song. "Tears of Bitterness" contains all of the expected power and pleasantness you'd expect from the band, "Work of Art" starts off with the sound of rain, materializes with a truly great choir chant part and serves as a great set up to the song that closes the album, the amazing "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For A Do." Beautiful, unique wonderful and original, this song contains what may possibly be the best singing on the album, going from low and powerful to high and inspiring while sounding amazing all the while. The slow pace, solid drumming and great melodic guitar combine with this phenomenal singing to create what must be (as difficult as it is to choose), considered one of the band's best songs. Simply great.
This album never gets old, on the contrary, it gets better and better every time I listen to it. There is never too much or too little of one element or another. This is nearly impossible to do without sounding abrupt and forced, yet Extol managed to accomplish this rare feat on their very first full length effort. Every single song on this release has at least one true gem of a riff, and each individual composition is impeccably crafted and highly memorable. Burial is my favorite album from my favorite band, and is firmly entrenched as my number one favorite album of all-time.
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