Poema Arcanus - Transient Chronicles
Active since 1992, but active under this name from 1997, Poema Arcanus are Chilean doom death with glaring similarities to the UK Yorkshire trio of the early 90’s, in particular the heavier side of My Dying Bride, however you can also find some similarities in the depths of Candlemass’ material, more so from the guitar sound.
The clean and dirty vocal common of this genre can sometimes be a bone of contention I have to say for myself, however, on the opening track ‘Us, Those Half Dead’, it works out well for my tastes. The clean vocals are much more epic; the keyboards are underlining the overall sound and are an accompaniment rather than a major force. ‘Streams of Debris’ has some almost progressive elements and really low end vocals. Again, when the tune calls for epic, these gents deliver and musically use many different aspects thus not replying on one solitude riff as some of these doom death bands tend to do, another bug bearer of mine. Thankfully, as a result, this improves my level of interest dramatically, even some of the licks and fills take you to areas of Fates Warning’s progressive leanings whilst thoroughly camping themselves within the doom spectrum so there is plenty of depth and variety to pick and choose from.
Moving further into the release, you will encounter relatively long tracks near the 6 minute mark, but that’s just enough, they do not outstay their welcome and retain your attention. ‘Fading’ has a dramatic level of atmosphere and the vocal range is much more extensive as the arrangement itself builds to end or die in a cliff-hanger situation. I did think the track was going to go other places, but it ends quite subdued, that’s clever, that’s unexpected, that makes me want more. The heavy death growls of the following ‘Omniscient Opponent’ delivers with expectation, but also follows the pattern of material released by other bands, the vocal melody at just over the one minute mark reminds me of Anathema’s ‘Judgement’ release, a kindred haunting, a dank but melodic sparseness fully shattered later in the track by a momentous delivery with some really cool soulful guitar tones, I suppose similar too to Katatonia.
Whilst many followers of doom/death may scoff at this release by being similar to other earlier benchmark albums and bands, I find it refreshing, they are not your typical modern doom death, the band dip their toes into the waters of epic metal, doom, and yes the occasional death dirge passage. The guitar is king here and the additional instruments occasionally brought out of the bag add atmosphere, as they should, rather than overbear a clearly thoughtful release and band.
The clean and dirty vocal common of this genre can sometimes be a bone of contention I have to say for myself, however, on the opening track ‘Us, Those Half Dead’, it works out well for my tastes. The clean vocals are much more epic; the keyboards are underlining the overall sound and are an accompaniment rather than a major force. ‘Streams of Debris’ has some almost progressive elements and really low end vocals. Again, when the tune calls for epic, these gents deliver and musically use many different aspects thus not replying on one solitude riff as some of these doom death bands tend to do, another bug bearer of mine. Thankfully, as a result, this improves my level of interest dramatically, even some of the licks and fills take you to areas of Fates Warning’s progressive leanings whilst thoroughly camping themselves within the doom spectrum so there is plenty of depth and variety to pick and choose from.
Moving further into the release, you will encounter relatively long tracks near the 6 minute mark, but that’s just enough, they do not outstay their welcome and retain your attention. ‘Fading’ has a dramatic level of atmosphere and the vocal range is much more extensive as the arrangement itself builds to end or die in a cliff-hanger situation. I did think the track was going to go other places, but it ends quite subdued, that’s clever, that’s unexpected, that makes me want more. The heavy death growls of the following ‘Omniscient Opponent’ delivers with expectation, but also follows the pattern of material released by other bands, the vocal melody at just over the one minute mark reminds me of Anathema’s ‘Judgement’ release, a kindred haunting, a dank but melodic sparseness fully shattered later in the track by a momentous delivery with some really cool soulful guitar tones, I suppose similar too to Katatonia.
Whilst many followers of doom/death may scoff at this release by being similar to other earlier benchmark albums and bands, I find it refreshing, they are not your typical modern doom death, the band dip their toes into the waters of epic metal, doom, and yes the occasional death dirge passage. The guitar is king here and the additional instruments occasionally brought out of the bag add atmosphere, as they should, rather than overbear a clearly thoughtful release and band.
- Us, Those Half Dead
- Stream Of Debris
- Fugitive
- Inquilinos
- Fading
- Omniscient Opponent
- Lambs
- Default Song
- Our Little Blood
Label: http://solitude-prod.com
Reviewer: twansibon
Dec 21, 2013
Dec 21, 2013
Next review:
Dimaeon - Collapse Of The Anthropocene
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