27 November 2023
” Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” Friedrich Nietzsche
I love reading, but philosophy has not been an area that I am interested in. I will never forget the moment I read the quote above on the back cover of Death album “Sound Of Perseverance”. I thought it was really awesome.
When I decided to write this album of the German band Empyrium, F.N.’s words came to my mind. Because this is such an album that it doesn’t matter what mood you are in. He takes the listener in the palm of his hand and takes them from place to place on his own spiritual route. When the album ends, you collapse into a corner, exhausted from this obligatory journey you have made.
Empyrium has 4 previous albums. We can define the first two as doom metal with folk and gothic influences. The next two (with an EP in between) are acoustic albums with heavy folk influences. Songs Of Moors and Misty Fields is the second and most important album of their career.
Empyrium, regardless of genre, is one of the rare metal bands whose albums are all good. Even though they tried different things, they were always cherished.
A new member named Nadine (flute, cello) had joined the duo Markus (guitar, bass, vocals, drums) and Andreas (synth) in this album. Nadine (alos Markus’ wife) made a great contribution to the album. Especially the flute parts suit the music very well. The lyrics are about nature, darkness, sadness. Markus performs vocals in various styles. Deep operatic vocals, flat vocals, screams. They are all in place and fit perfectly with the music. The music also resembles black metal in the sections with scream vocals. In these moments, the band brings to mind nature-loving black bands.
This album is a truly an autumn album. A dark romantic atmosphere prevails from the cover to the lyrics. Even the promo photo of the band members is foggy and blurry. At times, it puts his listeners in the mood you might feel while reading books like Crime and Punishment, Oblomov or The Sorrows of Young Werther. It makes you question life, existence and love. You find yourself wandering lost in a dark forest, in icy weather, accompanied by the sounds of water coming from far away. Just like in the werewolf movies, it puts you in a dream where you wake up after the transformation and cannot remember what you did in the past time.
Despite its long songs, the album flows like water with its sense of unity and a total duration of around 45 minutes. In fact, these integral parts of the structure do not require much examination one by one. Acoustic transitions, solo flute/piano parts, places where the cello stands out, plain-scream vocal transitions, and parts sung in a choral mood add beauty to the album.
Three songs of this exquisite album, each song of which is worth a diamond, are very special to me. Ode To Melancholy is one of them. It is a terrifying piece that made me ask myself many times how a human being could compose such a composition, and was mesmerized and intoxicated by its beauty. Lover’s Grief is a very tight song, a kind that drags you down. The flute parts in both the intro and the rest of the album are very beautiful. The last row, The Ensemble Of Silence, is not a song, but rather a lament. It is a transcendent work that contains a wide variety of moments, blown away by Markus’ baritone vocals, and makes me wonder if I should grab a brandy and hit the forest.
It is probably one of the albums about which I couldn’t escape subjectivity. Because I have an utter affection for this album. If you haven’t listened to it yet, don’t wait to make up for it. You will love it.
“When shadows grow longer
and the sun sets for the coming night;
our sorrow is stronger
as darkness and death are now near by our side.
Many a sun will set and tears of grief will be shed…”
10/10