There
are few bands that, starting by the influence of the symphonic black metal wave,
have captured the essence of that powerful music bringing that art to other
dimensions, without any risk to create a blank copy of the master Emperor band.
“Moon in the Scorpio” (Vote 9.5), the ’97 debut, is a gem that have
written
history for the symphonic black metal music, without a drummer, using the
drum-machine, Daemon and Morpheus chose an atmospheric, evocative, magical and
visionary path. “Moon…” is a nocturnal transfiguration, and esoteric
summoning of forlorn forces, a misanthropic hymn of hate and suffering, in a
dimension of stars. A solid black metal guitar base is mixed with superb
symphonic elements truly important in the musical structure of the songs.
It’s incredible how listening to the “Moon…” song is like to practice a
solitary ritual watching the surround majesty of the night sky, it’s like a
sort of hallucination, a dark escape from the mortal a view beyond the veil of
normality, is like to be captured in a crystal palace in a endless night, away
from the mediocrity. There is an incredible solemn mood in songs like “Beyond
the Candles Burning”, where the night spirit is
triumphant in all its splendour.
1997 is a creative
year for Limbonic Art, and the second opus “In Abhorrence Dementia” (Vote
9.5) was another wonderful success in the symph. Black Metal scene. The music
was in the same vein of the debut and the quality almost equal, the dramatic,
solemn obscurity of the band was intact. Like in “Moon…” listening to
“In Abhorrence…” is sometimes like a nocturnal ritual, and another time
the astonishing artwork gave the right visual expression to the Limbonic Art’
art, an obscure sorcerer wandering in a cold endless cosmic dimension, away
from every human certainty. There’s a sick mood that in some moments emerges,
and it’s a total rapture when listening to the ingenious synth and keyboards
work its possible to listen to great melodic lines, sometimes in a spectral
horror-like feeling and other times in an astonishing classical atmosphere.
“In Abhorrence…” is another majestic journey and Limbonic Art one of the
best symph. Black metal acts: this is the sentence!
In
1998 N.A.P. released an lp/cd composed by re-recorded songs of the Limbonic
Art’s demos, the quality of the overall work is far away from the typical
quality of a demo. The music of “Epitome of Illusions” (Vote 8.5) is very
similar to “Moon in the Scorpio” but a bit less complex and mature. The
visionary goal of “Epitome of Illusions” is the same of the first two
albums, a scarlet throne glorified by a world of darkness created by the
Limbonic Art black ensemble. There is the well-known Limbonic Art musical mark
in those songs, but after all sometimes they turn to be a more ordinary form
of symphonic black metal. The two members vocals are as usual over the top of
darkness, and the supreme power of the classical, spectral ambient influences
strength the quality of the songs when they turned in the way that only
Limbonic Art have been able to mix.
“Ad Noctum” (Vote 7), the ’99 Limbonic’s album, wasn’t surely what I
was expecting, the bitter thing is that almost all the complex arrangements,
and special elements of the band were submerged by a terrible mixing, and
probably by a less inspired song-writing. The drum machine has assumed an
aggressive presence, covering too many the symphonic elements, and the guitar
riffs are not always too good. Probably the touring have bad influenced
Limbonic Art, that have tried to record a in-your-face version of their music,
losing all those magical aspect of their creation.
The ingenious superiority of that band is audible in the previous works, not
in that for sure! They’re preparing their come back and it’s not a secret
that I expect a turn back, in the visionary and monumental atmosphere of the
first two albums.
"What remains of the Daemon and
Morfeus discography are two very important album who have transformed the
Symphonic Black Metal music to a different perspective, melting new elements
from other genres in a visionary horizon of dark feelings, one of the first band
that have watched around trying to understand the cold aspect not only in a
terrestrial cell but enlarging this but keeping the negative vibe. Their first
two album are two superb manifests of this journey."
"The Ultimate Death Worship"
(Vote 8/10) is the last chapter for LA, sadly but realistically speaking the
reason is the obvious stagnation of the songwriting and a certain regression to
the early material of the band, so the somber astral suggestion of the first two
albums it’s missed for a more ordinary metal way with the guitars prevalence
and less complex and original symphonic parts. The Limbonic trademark still
remains but it become something less special and with a not so visionary mood as
before. Everything seem to be less exceptional and special. This was a clear
sign of the problem of motivation inside the band and the official communication
of the band split was a bit a surprise but it was not a shock as for Emperor
demise, because of the last two not so superb shots of LA.
history for the symphonic black metal music, without a drummer, using the
drum-machine, Daemon and Morpheus chose an atmospheric, evocative, magical and
visionary path. “Moon…” is a nocturnal transfiguration, and esoteric
summoning of forlorn forces, a misanthropic hymn of hate and suffering, in a
dimension of stars. A solid black metal guitar base is mixed with superb
symphonic elements truly important in the musical structure of the songs.
triumphant in all its splendour.
In
1998 N.A.P. released an lp/cd composed by re-recorded songs of the Limbonic
Art’s demos, the quality of the overall work is far away from the typical
quality of a demo. The music of “Epitome of Illusions” (Vote 8.5) is very
similar to “Moon in the Scorpio” but a bit less complex and mature. The
visionary goal of “Epitome of Illusions” is the same of the first two
albums, a scarlet throne glorified by a world of darkness created by the
Limbonic Art black ensemble. There is the well-known Limbonic Art musical mark
in those songs, but after all sometimes they turn to be a more ordinary form
of symphonic black metal. The two members vocals are as usual over the top of
darkness, and the supreme power of the classical, spectral ambient influences
strength the quality of the songs when they turned in the way that only
Limbonic Art have been able to mix.