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SATARIEL
Hydra (Candlelight)
Rating 8.5
Having not heard either of SATARIEL's two prior releases, I feel as though I've missed out on something great; that is if said releases even remotely resemble the superbly melodious mix of (basically) death and (to a limited extent) black metal on "Hydra". In the way of clarification, the black metal element derives from Pär Johansson's midrange gravelly vocals that just as often move to a clean melodic style. While melodic death metal works in a very general sense to describe "Hydra", the tuneful element is far more pronounced, with only a handful of songs hitting Gothenburg stride. A folk component can be heard as well.
Of crucial importance is to understand that "Hydra" is easily one of the most elegant combinations of melodic mastery, mid-level heaviness, and indefinable warmth that you will hear in 2006. "Be You Angel, Be You Beast" and especially "The Springrise" are incredibly infectious songs that move with might. Others like "The Freedom Fall", "No God Loves", and "Scattering the Timeweb" boast a certain serene quality and rolling melodies, yet not without muscle. Daniel Bergstrand's production allows the arrangements room to breathe, but never at the expense of riff and rhythm thickness. More on the Swedish melodic death metal end, the extra catchy "Claw the Clouds" is another highlight, the clean-but-tough vocals showing yet another side to this versatile group. The up-tempo "For Galaxies to Clash" is similarly aggressive and tuneful. Dark and flowing, "Vengeance is Hers" is a lyrical highlight, the majestic melody belied only by the graphic descriptions of what a rape victim would do to her assailant. Johansson's lower resister singing on "300 Years Old" has a Cave-like (as in Nick Cave) quality that further deepens the album. Subtle vocal harmonies (i.e. "No God Loves") and smart use of synth and programmed effects turns the already strong compositions into near masterpieces.
Don't be surprised to see "Hydra" on a slew of year-end lists. The blend of accessibility, toughness, and grace puts it into this year's elite group of metal albums.
- Scott Alisoglu |
