Metal Reviews

The Tracks:

1. MALEVENTUM
2. PRINCESS OF THE ANCIENT
3. IN THE DARK I FOUND THE REFLECTION OF THE HIDDEN MIRRORS
4. UNEARTHED ARCANA
5. MUSCARIA
6. FORGOTTEN GODS
7. IN THE RAVEN'S EYE

Opera IX have returned with the follow up to the acclaimed "The Black Opera". This their fourth album is not entirely bad, as far as black metal albums go. Some of the songs are perhaps a tad too long and drawn out and unfortunately makes it quite a boring listen. As far as the music is concerned it's played with extreme precision and goes together rather well apart from the occasional widdly piano, which is reminiscent of an old silent movie soundtrack.

This is standard black metal fare; it's probably nothing you haven't heard before. With it blazing away at a million miles an hour then slowing to a heavy crushing riff they prove they are capable of a whole lot more…if only they would drop that really crap sounding keyboard, as I feel it does nothing for them. Had the keyboard not been included then this review may have been a lot different.

Ok it starts off with the title track 'Maleventum' which goes straight for the throat as soon as it begins and is probably one of the better tracks (minus the piano part which I feel spoils the mood totally) on offer. 'Princess Of The Ancient' suffers from the same thing as the title track, it's a very strong sounding track, but again that annoying keyboard just irritates the hell out of you. The rest of the tracks are pretty much of a muchness but points are scored for the ridiculously titled 'In The Dark I Found The Reflection Of The Hidden Mirrors'.

Released by Avantgarde Music
web: www.avantgarde.com

Reviewed by Chris Wheeler