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Trollheart · 04-10-2018, 09:58 AM

The Frail Tide – B'elakor - 2007
Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal (yeah)

Do I have to rethink my attitude towards Melodic Death Metal? Up to now, anything I've heard has been, to me, anything but melodic. I'm no fan of DM, though I can listen to it, and it's always slightly amused me that there is a subgenre that calls itself Melodic Death Metal, but I'm hungry now, and it may very well be time to eat my words, because this album is ****ing amazing. From the moment it started I knew I was listening to something different, something special, and yeah, hell, even when the expected growly vocals kicked in, they weren't so bad and I could mostly understand what the guy was singing. The vocals are almost an aside though, as it's really the music we need to concentrate on here.

Can someone tell me why, aside from those vocals, this is seen as any sort of Death Metal? Now, by all means correct me if I have it wrong here, but I always thought DM was fast, loud, blurry shredding and drums that sound like they're trying to outdistance a speeding Japanese train, but this is nothing like that. Hell, there's even the most beautiful piano instrumental in “Paths”. If I had to categorise this music I'd be more leaning towards the progressive metal side of things. I don't just say that because it's one of my favourite metal genres, but the music really does seem to me to be very intricate, varied and quite epic in its construction and flow, and I tend to associate that more with prog metal bands than any other type. Does not the use of keyboard and piano here make this less of a Death Metal record? I kind of always assumed those confined themselves to the traditional guitar/bass/vocals/drums model, but of course I don't know enough about the genre to confirm that.

Mind you, I see Discogs has the album as both Death and Doom Metal: I certainly don't hear any of the latter here (other than the vox). Nevertheless, there isn't anything here I don't love. I've been grooving along with the album (this is my third listen as I write) and there aren't many, if any, Death Metal (Melodic or otherwise) albums I can say that about. The playing is amazing, the melodies catchy and at times gorgeous, and yeah, I can even appreciate the vocals, Cookie Monster though they may be. Overall, ****ing superb. Top marks.

Track Listing

Neither Shape Nor Shadow
The Desolation of Ares
Tre'aste
A Natural Apostasy
Paths
Sanguinary

04-10-2018, 09:58 AM	#149 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	The Frail Tide – B'elakor - 2007 Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal (yeah) Do I have to rethink my attitude towards Melodic Death Metal? Up to now, anything I've heard has been, to me, anything but melodic. I'm no fan of DM, though I can listen to it, and it's always slightly amused me that there is a subgenre that calls itself Melodic Death Metal, but I'm hungry now, and it may very well be time to eat my words, because this album is **ing amazing. From the moment it started I knew I was listening to something different, something special, and yeah, hell, even when the expected growly vocals kicked in, they weren't so bad and I could mostly understand what the guy was singing. The vocals are almost an aside though, as it's really the music we need to concentrate on here. Can someone tell me why, aside from those vocals, this is seen as any sort of Death Metal? Now, by all means correct me if I have it wrong here, but I always thought DM was fast, loud, blurry shredding and drums that sound like they're trying to outdistance a speeding Japanese train, but this is nothing like that. Hell, there's even the most beautiful piano instrumental in “Paths”. If I had to categorise this music I'd be more leaning towards the progressive metal side of things. I don't just say that because it's one of my favourite metal genres, but the music really does seem to me to be very intricate, varied and quite epic in its construction and flow, and I tend to associate that more with prog metal bands than any other type. Does not the use of keyboard and piano here make this less of a Death Metal record? I kind of always assumed those confined themselves to the traditional guitar/bass/vocals/drums model, but of course I don't know enough about the genre to confirm that. Mind you, I see Discogs has the album as both Death and Doom Metal: I certainly don't hear any of the latter here (other than the vox). Nevertheless, there isn't anything here I don't love. I've been grooving along with the album (this is my third listen as I write) and there aren't many, if any, Death Metal (Melodic or otherwise) albums I can say that about. The playing is amazing, the melodies catchy and at times gorgeous, and yeah, I can even appreciate the vocals, Cookie Monster though they may be. Overall, ing superb. Top marks. Track Listing** Neither Shape Nor Shadow The Desolation of Ares Tre'aste A Natural Apostasy Paths Sanguinary __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018