under the oak

Let me preface this by saying I’m not a die-hard DT fan. I listened to this album precisely because everyone was talking about it so negatively, and I have to say that, while it isn’t a record of great value, it’s not as dreadful as I expected. Certainly, one expects much more from an established band like DT, but if this album had been released by another group, I think it would have deserved a 5.5 (out of ten).... but I’ll give it a 4 (out of ten).
The review, on the other hand, is truly awful, clearly too biased and lacking a real analysis of what needs to be done...
Furthermore, I would like to give a 1 to all those who rate an album a priori without genuinely listening to it (and judging by the comments, there seem to be many), reminding everyone that just as a criminal should always be given a second chance (with a number of possibilities of infinite cardinality), an artist should also be given a fair chance, and always with the necessary impartiality.

Regardless of whether it's Sting or whoever singing, this album didn't impress me at all. I'm not saying it might not be well-made, but it didn't evoke anything for me on an emotional level, and that's the first thing I consider when evaluating a work:..... 3 as a token of encouragement.

this is a unique group that cannot be confined to any specific genre (and don’t come telling me they’re avant-garde because that doesn’t fit at all), but this is not a weakness, rather a strength; this group manages to blend a thousand influences to reach a synthesis that is truly commendable…
Moreover, in this album there is a substantial maturation of the group compared to the already commendable previous album, setting the stage for a work that can successfully complete this mixture of genres in a perfect way to achieve a masterpiece…

a rather bad review of an album that, in my opinion, doesn't really leave a mark on those who listen to it. The fame that Burzum has gained, in my view, is mainly due to the news events that involved them and not to their actual abilities...

An excellent and heartfelt review of an album that is not extraordinary, but can be considered quite good when taking into account the average level of power metal during the period it was released… Luppi, even though he acts quite conceited and poses perhaps a bit too much, delivers one of his best performances on this CD (see "Identities" and "la vita fugge" as examples), which in my opinion he won't replicate with the same consistency…

In my opinion, if you detach it from the Lynchian context, this soundtrack, despite what most people say, turns out to be rather modest; it actually comes across as quite flat and bland... we are light-years away from the soundtracks that give you goosebumps just by listening to them.
As for the review, I found it excellent, fluent but dense with emotional charge (perhaps too much in some respects), and that's why I decided to listen to the album (while also watching a few episodes of the series), only to be deeply disappointed...

in my opinion, this album has excellent foundational ideas, which, however, are not fully developed to their initial potential, resulting in the record feeling almost suspended, ready to strike and deliver the decisive blow, only to never follow through.... DEFERRED

This album is actually labeled, at least in my opinion, improperly as epic metal since it clearly deviates from the basic stylistic elements of the genre, for example, the way of playing and composing typical of Manowar. Instead, it is closer, in certain ways, to the NWOBHM of a Maidenian style (for instance, when I listen to emailaith, a great track, I often think of parallels with "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Maiden). It’s precisely for this reason that they are among the few epic bands I have genuinely appreciated (of course, alongside Cirith Ungol, who with "King of Dead" have, in my opinion, released the true masterpiece of this genre)...
As for this particular album, I truly consider it well-constructed, with tracks that find their strength neither in technicality nor in the repetitiveness of riffs, typical of the genre, but in the ability to create in each song a perfect synthesis/antithesis between Defeis's voice and the music, crafting an atmosphere that tends to evoke intense and powerful emotions...
... I also believed that the title and lyrics (metaphorically speaking) were a clear homage to Blake.

I listened to this album to expand my musical horizons, but I discovered a genre that, at least for me, felt completely empty and lacking any truly innovative ideas beneath the surface: the substance, or rather the music, became completely unimportant, reduced only to the superficial appearance of the band...
For example, the guitar riffs throughout all the songs on this album rely solely on the same basic idea, implementing only minimal variations from one track to another...