Twilight Ophera and the Sanguine Diadem presents: - Descension
Sometimes you come across a band that reminds you too much of a key band in the scene. In the case of Twilight Ophera, I just cannot listen to the band without thinking about Cradle Of Filth. Of course, a band with such nice personal work deserves better than that everlasting comparison but the combination of heavy and black metal with an important role for the keyboards made me think about whether this band wanted to be a clone or not.
So, ten years after the first rehearsals, there is Descension under the name of Twilight Ophera and The Order of the Sanguine Diadem. And again, there is very little wrong with the album. Again, the combination of the very brutal heavy metal riffs, the black metal influences and the use of different vocals are packed in a very fine production with original materials in a beautiful artwork. And again there is the comparison with the already mentioned band although this album seems to be darker than before. The heavy part has come more to the foreground which leads into comparisons with the ultra riffs by Strapping Young Lad and the song writing is more complex.
Still, I have my doubts with this band. Everything has been worked out well, there is no doubt about that but there is no real statement being made. Therefore, the music changes too many times and the number of styles on the album is too high. I cannot describe this better than by mentioning the different vocals again. I guess there are about five of them and they all sing in a different perspective. As a result, I do not hear a band with a lot of variation but a struggling band.
So the question that has come to my mind is which direction Twilight Ophera wants to go with this album. I do not know. But what I do know is that this band is able to create something unique which will probably appeal to a lot of people out there, and that they’ve been able to get rid of their stigma to be a band with too much fans of what they used to sound like.
70/1001Details Low Frequency Records
Released on Monday Sep 11th, 2006
Heavy Metal
Writer @CarpeSiem on Saturday Oct 21st, 2006
Tags: #Twilight Ophera and the Sanguine Diadem presents:
Tracklisting
1. Charagma
2. Hollow movements of flesh
3. Suicide harlequin
4. Mirage of moira
5. Born of Brimstone womb
6. Silphur spiral
7. Sanguine diadem
8. Wraith reveries
9. SYN
10. Silhouettes of paradox craft
2. Hollow movements of flesh
3. Suicide harlequin
4. Mirage of moira
5. Born of Brimstone womb
6. Silphur spiral
7. Sanguine diadem
8. Wraith reveries
9. SYN
10. Silhouettes of paradox craft
Line up
Toni N�ykki - guitar
Mikko H�kinnen - vocals
Timo Puranen - keyboards
Janne Ojala - drums
Lord Heikkinen - bass
Mikko H�kinnen - vocals
Timo Puranen - keyboards
Janne Ojala - drums
Lord Heikkinen - bass