SALMACIS

DeRank ™: 0,48

DeAge™ : 7818 days • Here since 13 january 2005

Anathema Serenades

12 feb 07

Voto:

My position is similar to yours, Lux, but more subdued. That is: I agree with you that the best Anathema ended with "The Silent Enigma"; however, I do acknowledge a certain creative depth and even excellence in the "neo-psych" trilogy "Eternity-Alternative 4-Judgement," especially for Alternative 4. The real decline happened after Judgement when the songwriting drive diminished due to Patterson's departure. At the end of the day... it's really bad; slightly better than A Natural Disaster, but at this point, we're just in the lament...

Neurosis Souls at Zero

9 feb 07

Voto:

Better than its immediate predecessor Enemy of the Sun, which I consider the weak link (relatively) of the legendary trilogy culminating in the masterpiece "Trough Silver in Blood."

Camel Mirage

6 feb 07

Voto:

The best album by Camel, both gently epic and dreamy at the same time, fairy-tale like and enchanting. Good review... but why not give it 5 stars?!

Anathema Serenades

31 jan 07

Voto:

Well done, Lux...

Uriah Heep The Magician's Birthday

29 jan 07

Voto:

Great album, although slightly below its illustrious predecessor. From the twin album series... it was supposed to be a double... but it’s fine this way... there is a substantial unity of sound and themes, as well as structure (see the minisuite placed at the end) that connects "Demons and Wizards" and "The Magician's Birthday"; along with Salisbury (which is my favorite album by the band, although quite different from the pair in question), it represents the high point of Uriah Heep's career, a group unjustly undervalued.

Fairport Convention Unhalfbricking

25 jan 07

Voto:

Autopsy, my favorite track, is the perfect hippy folk-psychedelic elegy. Textbook, paradigmatic, and moving.

Enslaved Eld

22 jan 07

Voto:

The most beautiful album by Enslaved, even superior to the overrated (though still great) Frost. Excellent review that highlights the folk-progressive essence of the Platter and, above all, the monumental suite dedicated to the battle of Linisfarne. Five stars are a must.

Van Der Graaf Generator Still Life

19 jan 07

Voto:

Rightly, Old King Cole highlights the excellence of the second period of Van der Graaf, specifically praising Still-Life. I agree, provided we also include in the praise the earlier Godbluff, which is complementary to this in terms of a preponderance of music over lyrics. The other face (instrumental) of "Still Life," in short.

Borknagar The Archaic Course

18 jan 07

Voto:

I also adore Borknagar; here is my ranking. The "phases":
1) Garm Phase
2) Vintersorg Phase
3) Vortex Phase
And now the albums:
1) Borknagar 5 stars
2) Empiricism 5 stars
3) The Olden Domain 4.5 stars
4) The Archaic Course 4 stars
5) Epic 4 stars
6) Quintessence 3.5 stars
I haven't listened to Origin yet... feel free to crucify me...

My Dying Bride Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light

17 jan 07

Voto:

The album I prefer from MdB, even more than "The Dreadful Hours," which had also excited me. There’s not a single drop in tension; all the tracks enjoy a songwriting of the highest creativity. "The Wreckage of My Fleh," "My Wine in Silence," "The Prize of BeautY," and the concluding, ultra-dramatic "A Doomed Lover" are the gems that shine the brightest within the treasure chest.