AGATHODAIMON - review added 23rd March 2009
Album Review: Phoenix (2009)
For fans of: dark metal... and Beelzebub having a chat with his accountant
Phoenix is the fifth album by German dark metallers Agathodaimon. Featuring Ashtrael (vocals), Sathonys (guitars, clean vocals), Jan Jansohn (guitars), Felix Walzer (keyboards), Till Ottinger (bass) and Manuel Steitz (drums), Agathodaimon have been pumping out their epically proportioned gothic ear candy since 1995.
Sounding like an accessible version of Cradle Of Filth, or perhaps Children Of Bodom after a night on the tiles with The Grim Reaper, the music is intricate and as multifaceted as a pure-cut-crystal of diamondique. Ashtrael (yes, he does sound like a smoker's waste receptacle) pumps out a mean Satan-esque scream and provides the bedrock of the vocal performance. Sathonys is the Garfunkel to his Simon, and offers a 'normal' voice that contrasts sharply with Ashtrael's throaty crooning.
'Decline' demonstrates the duelling perfectly. The gothic demonised and clean voices battle fervently as the metal guitars heavy it up in the background. The guitars are surprisingly meaty throughout the album. It's a shame they spend so much time buried in a mountain of keyboards and extraneous special effects. Phoenix could have absolutely rocked out with it's cock out with less aural frippery.
Sathonys, although sometimes shaky of voice, sounds especially good on 'To Our Ashes'. He explores the outer reaches of his range and finds a few notes that probably left even him gob smacked. 'Oncoming Storm' is equally awe-inspiring. The size of the songs on this album is off the scale and will leave listeners feeling utterly insignificant. If King Kong, Godzilla and Galactus formed a band, this is what they would sound like.
Phoenix has a fantastic, well produced sound and some excellent performances. The album is very consistent and, for fans of this genre, a solid addition to any collection. However, for mere mortals in search of something a little different, or hardcore dark/gothic metal fans on a quest for their chalice, Phoenix is a small step short of brilliance.
Astonishing moments are few and fleeting, and it's debatable whether any of the songs stand out as contenders for future greatness. Phoenix certainly pushes the right buttons, but it would have been better if they'd hit the buttons with a sledgehammer.
Check out... The quality of the production. It all sounds jolly nice.
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Track List:
1. Heliopolis
2. Devil's Deal
3. Decline
4. Ground Zero
5. Ghost Of A Soul
6. Winterchild
7. Time Is The Fire
8. To Our Ashes
9. Amongst The Vultures
10. Oncoming Storm
11. Throughout The Fields Of Unshaded Grace
12. Grey Whisper
13. Alone In The Dark (Death Angel's Shadow)
14. Alone In The Dark (Soundtrack version)
Label: Massacre Records
Artist's websites: Agathodaimon , MySpace
