HADES ALMIGHTY - Millenium Nocturne (HAMMERHEART - LP 1999)
Hades… Who from the third
album became Hades Almighty… For me they were one of the best Norwegian bands, but
I say so mainly as I love their first two records. I worship them and oh yeah,
they are fantastic. I also really like album number four… but what about their
third opus? Well, it’s also damn good, but surely not even half as exceptional
and killer as the early stuff. Anyway, we can surely say that Hades were / or
maybe still are, as new album will come soon, among the best and most excellent
bands from Norge. One of those bands which had their own personality and sound.
I have all their stuff on vinyl, also the album number three “Millenium
Nocturne”. Which I remember to be hugely disappointed with, when it came out. I
had it on tape first and felt like it’s so damn boring haha! I actually didn’t
listen to it for quite many years, so after giving some justice and good reviews
to the previous Hades albums, I decided it’s also time and good opportunity to
remind myself about “Millenium…” record.
I guess that one of the
things, which for me personally works against the album is that it feels like
the majority of it, basically every song, sounds the same. Like for example the
tempo is practically similar all the way through – and it is a slower pace, which
accompany to those majestic, monumental riffs… But you know, the previous
albums were also slow, but somehow they were better in every aspect, the riffs
were better, the whole songs were more interesting, with some stunning,
memorable fragments and truly cold, dark atmosphere. “Millenium Nocturne”
continues doing that, but in less effective way I suppose. None of these songs
can match the previous materials and even if there are still some fragments of
pure brilliance, then they sort of disappear in the entire, long album (which
is 60 minutes long… maybe a little too long, for this sort of slow paced,
monotonous music). I guess I could pick up some awesome parts from every song,
some ideas, which I love totally, some excellent riffs, great vocals of Janto…
Each song has something spectacular, but it is still not enough to impress me,
when taking the whole album as one. Or let me put it that way – it is good
album, no doubt, it is enjoyable, sometimes brilliant, but it fades, when
compared to previous efforts and as a whole it’s just too monotonous.
Obviously Hades Almighty will
be always a special band. They play something unique, original and special on
the Norwegian black metal scene. The previous albums are simply perfect, so
maybe that burden was too much to handle and besides, you just can’t make three
amazing albums in row. “Millenium Nocturne” is a natural evolution of the style
from the previous records, but it failed to deliver something utterly exceptional.
I feel always torn apart, when I listen to this LP, because as mentioned
before, there are some brilliant parts, but the entire album drags on as fuck
and all songs melt into one. More so, I feel like it would be just better if we
cut off some fillers, songs like “Carnival Blaspheme” for example, which is basically
based on one or two themes that are going for six minutes and is just boring!
Sure, such song shows also that Hades was progressing, started to experiment,
but I just prefer simpler, but more in the face stuff and darker, more obscure
approach they presented on previous LPs. Another rather filling song on the
album is I think “To Reach Devine Fullfillment”… again, rather simple, one
dimensional riffing and drumming, slow pace … but it just goes for seven
minutes without a special excitement. It’s not a terrible song, but I guess I
could have lived without it one the album. “Nightmare Endurance” – the same.
Long as hell, dragging on forever!
On the other had such songs as
“Dream Traveller” really kick ass with some great riffage, thundering drums
(ha, sounds cheesy, but find out what I mean when you hear the song!) and
generally really monumental atmosphere. I also love that mix of harsh vocals
with weird, eerie howling... that sounds just uncanny. Hades was always a very
riff based band, they didn’t use much of the keyboards or other stuff, their
songs were always concentrated on the power, the strength of good, heavy riff…
Song like “Dream Traveller” reminds us that. As mentioned, basically every song
has something spectacular to unveil, but I must also mention “Nemesis”, as this
one belongs to the most powerful and energetic songs on the album, even though
the riffing in it has also some more progressive touch in few parts… but in
this case, it just worked fine. “Gardens of Chaos” has the best motif from the
entire record, I just love how this song begins, with nice acoustics, etc. and
it just sounds superb, very much like the good, old Bathory, but that calm,
acoustic theme is suddenly interrupted by awesome, harsh and aggressive riff –
and real hell breaks loose, what a good song that is! Very heavy, doomy, but
also powerful and truly monumental. Yes! “A Ballad of Death ad Obsession” is
again starting with a nice acoustic theme, which is a trademark for Hades, so
known on the previous albums and I love it. Further on this song has some
better and worse moments, but is a decent and worthy one for sure. It’s just
maybe too long again… It again has some of these howling vocals from drummer
Remi (I think), which sound just like he was a Viking possessed by demons. Or
drunk hehe! He has very specific voice and I know that not everybody will like
his vocals, but I do.
OK, to conclude… this is solid
record, yes, but it contains some better and worse moments. As a whole, I think
it is just too long and too monotonous and so even these truly splendid
fragments can’t save the entire record. In my opinion, this is Hades (Almigty)
weakest recording. But I can’t imagine not having it on LP. I need this band’s
entire discography, as they’re worth of that praise I give them!
Standout tracks: “Gardens of
Chaos”, “A Ballad of Death ad Obsession”, “Dream Traveller”
Final rate: 69/100
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