Ephel Duath reviews

[Lee_B]

I've just done a quick scan on the net and there's a fait few reviews out there. Here's the ones I found, good and bad.

Lee


******************************************

From "Gothcore"

In de afgelopen jaren is het Black Metal genre enorm gegroeid met het gevolg dat het voor bands steeds moeilijker werd om echt op te vallen in het genre. Een band die in het jaar 2000 wel opviel was Ephel Duath met het debuut 'Phormula'. Alleen had de band het nadeel bij het kleine label Code666 te zitten, waardoor de bekendheid van de band nog grotendeels achterwege bleef. Vandaar dat de overstap naar Earache een logische keuze was en dat het album (nu dus onder de naam 'Rephormula') opnieuw uitkomt, inclusief enkele extraatjes.

Maar allereerst zijn daar natuurlijk de nummers afkomstig van 'Phormula'. Geen makkelijke kost dit album. Het duurt dan ook even voordat je een beetje structuur terug vindt, want behalve Black Metal komen we ook volop invloeden tegen uit de klassieke muziek, maar ook stijlen als New Wave, Techno en Industrial worden niet vergeten. Om een juiste indruk van Ephel Duath te krijgen hoef je eigenlijk alleen maar het eerste nummer, "The Embossed", te draaien. Vindt je dit nummer al helemaal niks dan kan je het album rustig laten staan en een 'normaal' album aanschaffen. Maar als je, net als ik, onder de indruk bent van dit nummer, draai dan ook nog even het derde nummer "The Danza". Een agressief en hard nummer met een opvallende Techno beat halverwege. Geweldig zoals Ephel Duath aan het experimenteren is, wonderbaarlijk trouwens dat het bij Ephel Duath ook nog tot echte nummers leidt.

Om 'Rephormula' extra aantrekkelijk te maken komen we ook nog een paar leuke extraatjes tegen. Allereerst zijn er twee remix nummers die mij persoonlijk helemaal koud laten. Maar gelukkig zijn er ook nog drie nummers afkomstig van de allereerste demo tape 'Opera', een toepasselijkere titel had de band niet kunnen bedenken voor deze demo. Het geluid mag dan wel minder zijn dan het geluid van 'Phormula', de nummers zijn minstens zo goed. Geen wonder dat de band zonder problemen de demo's in no time wist kwijt te raken. Overigens bestaat Ephel Duath op dit moment slechts uit één persoon. Deze persoon, genoemd Davide, is echter op zoek naar vaste bandleden om in het komende jaar een tweede album op te nemen en ook om mee op tournee te gaan. Laten we hopen dat Davide snel enkele bandleden vindt die technisch genoeg zijn om in Ephel Duath te kunnen spelen. Want ik ben alvast enorm benieuwd naar dat tweede album. Tot die tijd heeft een ieder uitgebreid de gelegenheid om 'Rephormula' tot zich te laten doordringen. Wanneer de overbodige remixes achterwege waren gebleven had 'Rephormula' zonder twijfel een nog hogere score verdiend.



8,0

Ate Hoekstra

 

[Lee_B]

From "Chaos Metal"

E.D. is extremely technical and well-written black metal. Rephormula being their first cd on Elitist records (sub label of Earache) and they definitely give you a lot to listen to. 13 tracks mostly between the 5 - 8 min range. Being that this is extremely technical black metal, most of the music is a lot to take in with one listen, and some times it seems like its a cacophony of sound that just isn’t musical at all, when all of a sudden everything comes together. A lot of electric drum sound is mixed in with the live drum sound, while both sounds are mixed up pretty evenly throughout the cd. Even though at times with the electric bass drum beat, it could sound like rave music, the guitar, and everything else save it from falling in that direction. This is the most insane black metal stuff I’ve ever heard. This cd definitely takes a few spins before everything is heard, but the production is top notch aside from the vocals being a little on the hard to hear side. The cd is broken down into three parts; the main cd (8 tracks), Remixes (2 tracks), and the opera demo (3 tracks). The main cd is amazing, crazy technical material that no one could compare to. The remixes on the other hand seem to be just boring noise that shouldn’t really be on this cd, but there’s only two of them before getting to the awesome demo. Opera is more keyboard based then the new material but still amazing. This gives the listener a real chance to see how they have changed over the years. All in all it’s a great cd with the only downside being that at times it’s so technical that’s its musically incoherent.
7 out of 10 Crushed Skulls

 

[Lee_B]

From "Dragon Metal"

Det italienska black metal bandet Ephel Duath har även de slagit in på vad som en del andra inom genren redan anammat, nämligen vad som ibland kallas black metal för dataåldern. Med mer eller mindre lyckade resultat har bl.a. Kovenant (fd Covenant) och DHG (fd Dödheimsgard) vågat sig på att utmana black metal kulturen. Inget ont sagt om att utveckla och förnya genrer. De ovan nämnda + Ephel Duath håller sig dock inom ramen för vad jag tycker är accepterat. Vissa skrämmande exempel på sell-outs som dragit iväg åt skrämmande vägar inom ett hopkok av black/techno/synth och gud vet vad. Avhåller mig från att nämna något band, av ren hänsyn till banden ifråga.

Hur som helst finns det, som sagt, å andra sidan band som lyckats förvånansvärt bra i sin "nyskapande" black metal. Dit räknar jag Ephel Duath med deras nya album "Pephormula". Med deras komplexa och precisionsfyllda kompositioner bjuds man på en varierad åktur i laserterängen. I likhet med en del andra band från europas sydligare breddgrader finner man även här en storslagenhet på gränsen till ett melodramatiskt arrangemang av låtarna. Med sitt egensinniga spel i rytm och takt, blandat med utomordentligt behärskade klassiska, men ändock okonventionella, gitarrspel är Ephel Duath ett band att ta på allvar. Rephormula är full av futuristiska överaskningar och lämpar sig INTE som avslappningsmusik vid meditation - det är allt för mycket trådar att ta tag i och hänga med i. Ibland visar Rephormula prov på en i det närmaste "Meshuggah-komplicerat" ryckig låtsruktur som inte alltid är precis lättsmält. Enligt vad jag läst figurerar beskrivningen "ett Dillinger Escape Plan inom black metal. Det kan med andra ord ibland svänga rätt häftigt mellan olika stilar och tempon. Även om synt i dessa kvarter är mer eller mindre obligatoriskt bygger Ephel Duath de flesta av sina låtar kring ett raffinerat gitarr- och trumspel. Synten har förvisso en framträdande roll i vissa låtar, men håller sig för det mesta i skinnet och låter diskret uppbackande piano. Det ovan nämnda är kanske, vid närmare eftertanke, inte så konstigt då Ephel Duath endast består av Davide på gitarr, sång och synt samt Giuliano på gitarr, sång, bas, synt och programmering.

Grunden för Ephel Duath vilar dock tung på en black metal bas, som inte (som sagt) avvisas allt för mycket i periferin till förmån för pop-techno-synt. En stor eloge till dom bara för en sån bedrift att inte vilja hänge sig åt trender och modenycker. Utan att låta allt för bakåtsträvande tycker jag att det finns en ära i att vara trogen sina ideal och att utrymmet för innovativa förändringar finns inom den givna genren. Ephel Duath kom i stort sett till i början av 1998 och redan i slutet av samma år hade deras första demo, "Opera", släppts och rönt stor uppmärksamhet. Opera kom att, under 1999, stiga till Nr.1 på mp3.com black metal listan - med över 20 000 nedladdningar. Under år 2000 gick E.D. in i Fear studios för att spela in sin debut-cd "Phormula", vilken släpptes av det italienska bolaget Code666. Även denna fullängdare östes det superlativ över och black metal scenen hade ånyo fått ett extremt band i familjen.
Candlelight Records var inte sena med att fånga upp detta nya, överväldigat potenta band och knyta det till sitt stall. Resultatet har, lite snålt, visat sig bli en omdaning av "Phormula", i syfte att lufta fram dess fulla potential(!). På sina 75 minuters speltid finner man inte bara "Phormula" i typ nyproducerad variant, utan också demon "Opera" (tre spår) samt två remixade låtar. Gillar man innovativ och brutal musik i stil med allt från ren black till mer Kovenant associerad musik lär denna cd snurra ett antal varv i maskinen. Gillar man black metal finns det garanterat guldkorn på skivan. Gillar man mer synt-techno metal lär man sannolikt också hitta guldkorn på plattan. En skattkista att gräva ur med andra ord. Men dessvärre, i mitt tycke, finns det ett allt för stort antal kattguld med i kistan. Candlelight kunde gott ha gjort ett utrens och satsat på de bästa tidigare låtarna av och med Ephel Duath, istället för att ge ut rubb och stubb, när man nu ändå skulle återutge skåpmat. Hälften hade varit nog, som dom sa på SSI.

 

[Lee_B]

From Metalcrypt

"The new dawn of black metal", proclaims the sticker on the front of this reissued debut from Italian avant-gardists Ephel Duath. Talk about putting the cat among the pigeons. But for once the music actually lives up to the claims of its creators. This is very impressive stuff.

First, though, a warning. If the only black metal you listen to is Darkthrone and you thought the last Emperor album was too complicated then steer well clear. This is complex, mind-bending stuff, blending black metal atmospherics and progressive technicality, flavored with elements of almost every genre imaginable. Layers of harsh guitars and atmospheric synths are driven by an unfeasibly fast drum machine, with screaming vocals, broken up by digital ambience and clear singing. The result is a record that feels more like a single elongated onslaught on your mind than a collection of distinct songs. This is not easy listening, and will probably require a few listens before it really grabs you. But perseverance is rewarded, because this is an album of rare depth and character that stands out from much of the dire retreads released today. It really is hard to fault this.

"RePhormula" comprises the band's "Phormula" debut, two remixes and three tracks from the bands' "Opera" demo. The remixes are not to my taste, but the demo tracks compare well to the album proper. Basically, if you like your music straightforward and uncomplicated, avoid; you will hate this. But if you like technical, elaborate and powerful music, this is pretty much perfect.

5 out of 5

 

[Lee_B]

From spot.no

Virtuos trommeprogrammering og komplekse, intrikate gitarpartier preger musikken til disse italienerne som bare er 20-21 år gamle.

Jeg tror en er nødt til å være litt tålmodig for å sette virkelig pris på denne skiva. Rephormula en eksperimentell musikalsk reise i et spennende og ulendt terreng. Dette er i høy grad progressivt, det er ikke særlig mye vers-refreng-vers-struktur å spore her, det kreves muligens at en blir kjent med låtene og hvordan de utvikler seg før en kan få fullt utbytte av dem. Ikke akkurat bakgrunnsmusikk, dette.

Ephel Duath bruker kun trommemaskiner på denne skiva, de er meget velprogrammerte, men det er fortsatt trommemaskiner. Det høres, og det er med på å skape et ganske spesielt lydbilde, fyldig og tett. Trommemaskinenes kliniske presisjon skaper et industrielt preg over det hele.

Låtene består av mange intrikate, til tider fantastisk fengende riff, jevnlige taktskifter og en mørk, dyster atmosfære. Vokalen er standard svartmetall-rasping, heldigvis mikset forholdsvis lavt. En kan beskrive Ephel Duaths musikk som en saftig blanding av elementer fra band som Cynics tekniske, kompliserte riffing, Dødheimsgards kalde industri-beats og Arcturus' sans for det ukonvensjonelle og avant-garde-aktige.

Fra 'The Embossed's grimme atmosfære og smarte riff, gjennom den mystiske og trolske 'Greynesses Grow Already Old' og den nydelige, vemodige, akustiske affæren 'Myriads' og til helt til siste spor - 'Insomnia's Desert' - framviser Ephel Duath en uvanlig høyt utviklet evne til å skrive interessant og uforutsigbar musikk, særlig med tanke på at disse karene kun er 20-21 år gamle.

Anbefalinger går ut til metalfans av alle sorter, dette er absolutt verdt en lytt, om ikke annet bør en i alle fall merke seg navnet, en kan nok regne med å høre mer fra disse typene i tidene som kommer

5 out of 6

 

[Lee_B]

From "metalmaniacs" Italy

Che la Earache sia sempre più interessata a territori musicali non affini al death metal, oramai, lo sanno praticamente tutti. La label britannica, infatti, dopo aver mostrato un certo interesse per sonorità di stampo nu/crossover, pesca un'altra rivelazione dal suolo italico e si assicura, dopo i nu metallers Linea 77, una delle più interessanti novità in ambito black metal per quanto concerne il nostro paese: il nome, a molti, non sarà nuovo, in quanto mi riferisco agli Ephel duath. La band, dopo un certo periodo di gavetta (da segnalare le ottime produzioni di "Phormula" e della demo "Opera"), si presenta oggi con un disco alquanto insolito, per un gruppo ancora in fase emergente. "Rephormula", infatti, come il titolo suggerisce, consiste in uno sviluppo del materiale del succitato e precedente lavoro, in quanto ad esso vengono aggiunte song estratte dalla demo e tracce remixate. Il tutto, naturalmente, al fine di offrire al pubblico un panorama piuttosto completo di quanto fatto sinora dalla band italiana, che a dire la verità, non ha ancora ricevuto adeguati consensi in relazione a quanto fatto (naturalmente per logici problemi di promozione, sebbene il futuro si presenta ben più roseo grazie al passaggio su Earache). Per coloro che non conoscono la band, gli Ephel duath si muovono su lidi consoni il black metal, al quale i nostri aggiungono una forte e marcata componente avantgardista, elettronica, e, diciamolo pure, nettamente progressivi se consideriamo le basi del genere trattato. Sin dagli esordi la band aveva proposto materiale ben diverso dalla via intrapresa da band più tradizionaliste quali Adversam o Handful of hate (vedi la fantastica "Opera"), ma quanto troverete in questa "nuova" produzione è a tratti sconvolgente, spiazzante, poichè qui ci sono le prove concrete che l'Italia, grazie a band come Ephel duath, Aborym o Inchiuvatu, ha le carte in regola per fondare una cerchia di nomi in grado di rivoluzionare la scena. Tutto, ora, dipende dalle label...voi, nel frattempo, se adorate la sperimentazione nel black metal, non perdetevi "Rephormula".

7.5/10

 

[Lee_B]

From "ink19"

If you're looking for unique, you've come to the right place. Italy's Ephel Duath play a very strange variation of death metal, featuring twinkly, absurdly out of place keyboards that somehow fit nicely into the overall sound of Rephormula. These keyboards remind me of a carnival at times, and a funeral at others.

For the most part, Rephormula is neckbreakingly fast metal with strained scream vocals (no growls, thank you). Bright spots are "The Embossed," an eerie excursion into the realm of melodic guitars and treble-laden drums, and "Greynesses Grow Already Old," which features a lovely grand piano intro, sounds as if it were stripped from a slasher movie soundtrack.

The best thing about this disc is its length. Over 75 minutes of black metal fun, you'll be able to get through a goodly number of pages in whatever evil book you choose to read whilst rockin' to Rephormula. Recommended for fans of technical black metal; everyone else will think it's overdone and too dramatic.

 

[Lee_B]

From "metalhearts" (plus interview)

Se dovessi descrivere in poche battute questo disco, direi sicuramente "un'infernale giostra black metal". Rephormula è la riedizione deluxe marchiata Earache del debut degli Ephel Duath Phormula. Non riesco davvero a spiegarmi come Phormula possa essere passato quasi sotto silenzio, perché, signori, quello che ho fra le mani è un disco destinato a fare storia, vero e proprio pilastro dell'innovazione avantgardistica black. Rephormula è il disco che gli Arcturus non hanno ancora osato comporre, un LP che hanno solo vagamente concepito e accarezzato in La Masquerade Infernale e Disguised Master. Perché il disco dei padovani Ephel Duath sfugge a qualsiasi catalogazione, è follia e genio allo stato puro, è fusione di innovazione e tradizione, è un terrificante viaggio in un Luna Park abitato dai demoni: e non è un caso che alcune melodie si rifacciano a quelle di perversi carillon impazziti o evochino alla mente deviate e terrificanti giostre per i morti. Rephormula è una danza in un regno onirico a metà fra l'orrorifico e il grottesco, dove i malinconici pagliacci di Ade ci guidano mano nella mano in visita alle meraviglie decadenti del nostro mondo. Ed è davvero difficile credere che alle spalle degli Ephel Duath ci sia solo un demo (Opera, di cui sono presenti tre tracce anche in Rephormula come bonus track alla fine) o che il gruppo sia composto solo da due elementi (uno ora, a quanto pare). Prodotto benissimo, suonato senza sbavatura alcuna, originalissimo, Rephormula porta in seno non solo un black metal colto ed intellettuale, ma anche un uso intelligente dell'elettronica che richiama vagamente gli Ulver di Perdition City strizzando l'occhio alla techno più feroce. Buonissimo il cantato, che si alterna fra screaming e voce pulita, assolutamente essenziale la drum machine (giuro, mai è stata usata in maniera così funzionale al sound, tanto che un batterista vero probabilmente non renderebbe giustizia ai pezzi), ma soprattutto un applauso alle malatissime melodie a metà fra la cattiveria dissacrante e la pura e semplice follia. E ancora non ho detto niente dell'artwork: già dalla semplice confezione di cartone che mi è prevenuta con il promo si nota una visionarietà deviata e inquietante (sto meditando di comprare il cd in negozio solo per avere il booklet!). Che dire poi dell'angosciante bambino riprodotto sulla serigrafia del cd e che spunta dal fondo pagina del loro sito (guardatevelo perché merita nel modo più assoluto). Qualche nome in particolare? The Danza, Greyness Grow Already Old, The Flickering Warmth, la strumentale e semi acustica Myriads, The Blow's Rhymers o Instinkt, remix per cui gli stessi Ulver venderebbero l'anima.
Rephormula, per quanto mi riguarda la più grande sorpresa "made in Italy" che mi sia mai capitata in mano. Geniali.

 

[Lee_B]

From Gravemusic

This album was originally released by Italy’s Code666 under the title of "Phormula". Lee Barrett (founder of Candlelight Records) signed them to his Elitist label which recently joined forces with Earache. While they are in the studio putting the finishing touches on their Earache debut the label saw fit to re-issue the original “Phormula” in it’s entirety with a couple remixes and three tracks from their “Opera” demo. The CD was remastered by Tim Turan (Emperor and Opeth) but since I haven’t heard the original release of “Phormula” I can’t comment on the remastering.

This is a bizarre black metal creation. Think Emperor under hypnosis convinced that they are musicians from the 22nd century and you’d begin to get the idea. Don’t get me wrong, while the Emperor influence is there Ephel Duath is not another Emperor clone. This two-man band mixes complex guitar riffage with multi-layered synths and insane rum programming. Don’t let the lack of “real” drums frighten you off; they certainly don’t sound electronic (with the exception of the two remixes). Song tempos are all over the place, from mid-paced to hyperblast speeds. Vocals are what you’d expect from a black metal band, high-pitched screeches dominate the album tracks. The demo tracks contain some of the clean Viking-style vocals but it seems they have abandoned that style for the CD.

I have but two criticisms of this album, one being that the guitar mix could have been a bit louder and two being that we just don’t need another Tolkien inspired band name! Those are minor complaints though for an overall high quality release. While I can’t recommend this one hundred percent it is a worthy purchase for those who are into more recent Emperor (and/or the legions of Emperor clones) or black metal fans who are looking for something fresh and epic sounding to rattle their eardrums.

7/10

 

[Lee_B]

From "Martlegang"

Het schijnt dat dit Italiaanse gezelschap een tijdlang op nummer 1 van de Black Metal-charts van Mp3.com heeft gestaan, met meer dan 20.000 downloads. Het Britse Earache vond dat succes klaarblijkelijk indrukwekkend genoeg om Ephel Duath onder haar hoede te nemen. En aangezien pas in de loop van dit jaar nieuw materiaal geleverd kan worden brengt het label gelijk maar even het debuutalbum 'Phormula' uit 2000 opnieuw uit, voorzien van wat remixen en daarom omgedoopt tot 'Rephormula'.
Zowel Earache als enkele prominente Metalbladen komen superlatieven tekort om deze band te prijzen. Een greep uit de biografie: 'a highlight of the 2002 black metal calendar', 'black metal for the computer generation' en 'the Dillinger Escape Plan of black metal'. Enerzijds is dat natuurlijk allemaal een tikkeltje overdreven. Ephel Duath maakt gewoon razende, technische en met elektronica doorspekte Black Metal in het straatje van bands als Mutant, Crest of Darkness en Limbonic Art. Anderzijds moet ik toegeven dat de lof niet geheel onterecht is; 'Rephormula' is een knap staaltje muzikaal vernuft en voor wie van dit genre houdt is het zonder twijfel een hoogtepunt en onmisbaar in de collectie. Ik vind de voortdurende tempowisselingen, kunstmatige klanktapijten en complexe structuren af en toe net een beetje te vermoeiend. Bovendien ben ik maar weinig gecharmeerd van de langgerekte techno-intermezzo's. Toch kan ik niet anders dan toegeven dat 'Rephormula' kwalitatief zeer in orde is en dat fans van extreme, nieuwerwetse Black Metal dit eens moeten gaan luisteren.

 

[Lee_B]

From "metaleagle"

If you remember, some time ago I had reviewed the deful album of the Italian blacksters EPHEL DUATH. This album was entitled "Phormula" and it was one of the best black releases of that period. Now, EPHEL DUATH left code666 and signed with Earache Records. At this occasion, they re-release their debut album under the name "RePhormula" with the addition of some remixes and unreleased demo tracks from their demo tape "Opera". If you did not buy "Phormula" back then, this is a great opportunity to add "RePhormula" to your disk box. This album features new artwork (which kicks major ass) and complete remastering done by Tim Turan (EMPEROR, OPETH). The line up of the band consisted of two guys, Giuliano who did the guitars, bass, synths, programming and some vocals and Davide who did guitars, synths and the rest of the vocals. Now, Giuliano left the band and Davide recruited other members (just what I wanted them to do -see "Phormula" review) to complete a full line up in order to record a new album (which is expected in 2002) and start performing live. For you who haven't read the review of "Phormula", I repeat here that EPHEL DUATH play melodic black metal with influences of KOVENANT and some OPETH enriched with a bunch of electronic elements just where they are needed. The vocals vary from most growling to some clean and are very nicely produced. On the whole, "RePhormula" is a great opportunity for you to meet the italian blacksters EPHEL DUATH and "black metal for the computer generation" as they like to describe their own music. I will keep the same mark as I did with "Phormula" and I will eagerly await their next release, this time with full line up.

8/10

 

[Lee_B]

From The Boston Herald

Ephel Duath -- RePhormula (Earache Records): Italian black metalists

Davide (guitars, vocals, synthesizers) and Giuliano (guitars, vocals, bass,

synthesizers) reworked their 1999 debut ("Phormula") for American audiences

on "RePhormula."

On "RePhormula" Ephel Duath (Evil Death) showcases 75 minutes of fiery, angry

metal. The duo melds drum programming and some low, guttural vocals mixed

with chainsaw guitars to create a sound that, at times, is compelling

and, at others, vapid and annoying.

"The Flickering Warmth" churns a lightning-fast beat with catchy riffs and

"The Embossed" displays some nifty ingenuity with intriguing pacing changes.

"Phormula" is the disc's true standout. It's so over the top and fuming that

it vibrates with attitude.

The main problem with many of these tracks is they are directionless. That's

the conundrum with using drum programming -- it provides a righteous beat,

but it never veers off the track. These songs would have benefited from an

approach that has served many metal bands for the past 30 years -- let the

thunder from the drum kit power the song. At times, "RePhormula" is

completely locked into a certain groove and the transitions simply do not

work. "The Danza" touches the gloom and doom hotspots but fails to satisfy

because it's not very tuneful.

At the conclusion of the disc are some remixes and the original Ephel Duath

demo tape. While they do provide a nice glimpse into the band's tastes, they

do not add much for anyone except hardcore fans.

Still, there is something unique about synthesizers being used to hone a

rattling din.

GRADE: 7.5

 

[Lee_B]

From MKUltra mag

Every once in a great while comes a band that grabs you by the throat. Here, from Italy of all places, comes Ephel Duath. They take the intensity and pandemonium of black metal and let a madman play an opera of classical sounds and synth to parallel the vocal, guitar and drum onslaught. One might say, "hey that's exactly what Cradle of Filth does you idiot!" Yes, CoF, with all due respect is great at what they do, but Ephel Duath goes beyond the boundaries of what has already been established and invented something completely insane and unheard of. The blending of the two melodies is pristine, guitars that shred layers off your skin know exactly when to let the classical and synth pulses boil over and intertwine like an opera from hell, all the while coated by a superb, classic black metal howl. The duo which brought this vision to life is made up of Davide and Giuliano. "rephormula" is actually a re-issue of "phormula," the band's debut, along with two remixes and their original demo tape, "Opera." But, according to the bands Web site, Giuliano has since left the band, while Davide is busy writing new material and looking for members to secure a full line-up. It won't be long till you hear Ephel Duath mentioned in the same sentence as say, Emperor or Opeth. Hail to truly the most unique hybrid of black metal and electronica that's ever been spawned -no lie.

 

[Lee_B]

From Critical Metal:

Yes, keep bringing us the Italian metal. The Italians have been overlooked for too long and Ephel Duath are a great example of the excellent music that has been produced on that peninsula. Ephel Duath represent yet another incarnation of black metal. Their sound is a cross between the cold post-industrial black metal sound of Mayhem and Aborym, and the more triumphant form of black metal exemplified by bands like Dimmu Borgir. Thus ED oscillates between the harsh and beautiful. And like Aborym, the band uses a drum machine as opposed to live drums. However, the programmed drums are not intended to sound like a real drummer, but instead create an industrial sound. But unlike Aborym, ED are more melodic, not relying wholly on the harsh guitar, but using both guitars and keyboards to make memorable and diverse music. If this sounds odd to any reader, then I would suggest the reader is not too familiar with the larger world of black metal. Many bands have been drawn to the opposite extremes of industrial/ambient and black metal, bands from Aborym to Burzum Cadaver Inc.’s guitarist who spent time in Apoptygma Berzerk, and so on. I personally have felt drawn to both types of music and don’t feel their combination to seem unnatural. This band, in fact, combine these opposites quite effectively and interestingly. Finally, this CD is called “Rephormula?because it is a remastered version of ED’s second release, “Phormula,?with added tracks from their original demo, Opera. It also contains two remixes. This release marks their debut on Earache Records which is also the introduction to the world at large of the band’s music.

 

[Lee_B]

From "Silent Scream"

"RePhormula" è la riedizione del primo cd dei padovani Ephel Duath, uscito originariamente per la Code666 nel 2000 ed oggi riproposto dalla nuova casa discografica della band, la Earache, con l'aggiunta di cinque pezzi, cioè due remix e tre brani tratti dal primo demo tape, "Opera", datato 1998. Musicalmente i nostri sono stati definiti come una versione Black Metal dei Cynic, ed in effetti per la grande maestria tecnica e per le soluzioni innovative e fuori dagli schemi direi che il paragone sia adatto. Immaginate un incontro fra gli ultimi Emperor, quelli più magniloquenti e sognanti, i Limb onic Art più epici e gli Octinomos, ai quali si siano aggiunte le soluzioni elettroniche e le atmosfere malate e nichiliste (soprattutto in fase di drumming e nell'uso delle tastiere) adottate ultimamente da band quali Aborym e Maldoror ed avrete una vaga idea di quello che suonano gli ED: un BM violento e "flaboyant" ma lontano dal concetto di "Symphonic", intessuto di variazioni elettroniche e di stacchi strumentali complessi, che mostra un'evoluzione rispetto al demo tape in senso ancora più sperimentale, mentre i due remix ci mostrano il lato più sognante della band, in sintonia con quel connubio fra elettronica e BM che oggigiorno viene portato avanti soprattutto da alcuni fra i gruppi meno schierati di ca sa nostra. Unica pecca, veniale per la verità, potrebbe essere trovata nel cantato, aggressivo e ben condotto per la maggior parte del tempo, ma a volte un po' monocorde e forse troppo legato al modo di esprimersi di Maniac dei MayheM. Inso mma, un lavoro maiuscolo che ci consegna un'altra band importante, pronta a dare l'assalto alla scena, soprattutto ora che ha alle spalle un'etichetta ben affermata. Giuliano nel frattempo ha lasciato la band, ma Davide sta già componendo il nuovo materiale, ed è alla ricerca di elementi per dare più stabilità e consistenza ad una delle realtà più interessanti oggi presenti nel panorama Metal italiano.

 

[Lee_B]

From "Quintessence"

Rephormula" is the re-release of Ephel Duath`s debut album "Phormula" which was released through Code 666 in 2000. Elitist, a new sublabel of Earache, was pretty impressed by this album, which resulted in a multi-album deal and a re-release of the aforementioned debut with some bonustracks. The latter being the album we`re talking about. The music of Ephel Duath, an Italian duo, is very hard to describe, but in general I would say this is progressive black-metal with some avant-gardistic touches. You could compare it a bit to later Emperor with weird touches, like the carnavalesque guitar-/ synthparts you can also find on Arcturus` album "La Masquerade Infernale".
The music is well-played with great songstructures, but I can`t guarantee you`re gonna like this. Ephel Duath is a band you either love or hate. Concerning the bonustracks I can tell you the following. There are 2 remixes of the albumtracks that are pure crap. Besides that you can find 3 songs of their 5 track `98 demo "Opera". These songs are in the same vein as the songs on "Phormula". Anyway, I`m positive we`re gonna hear a lot more about Ephel Duath in the future.

 

[Lee_B]

From "The Plague"

As the boundaries of various genres are blurred, we've been seeing more and more bands like Ephel Duath - bands that cannot be easily place in any one style. The core of this Italian band is black metal, but the arrangements are as complex as your average prog-rock outfit, with abrupt changes from speed-drenched darkness to gently flowing piano to techno-savvy bass beats.
Opening track "The Embossed" takes as many twists and turns as your average Opeth song in about half the time. This is both good and bad, as there is a lot to listen to but it feels a bit rushed at times and as soon as you start digging something the band is doing, they are on to something else already. The band uses some very celestial-sounding keyboards, particularly on the tracks "The Danza" and the lengthy "Phormula." "The Flickering Warmth" is a step in the right direction stylistically, as it feels a bit more relaxed, allowing each section of the song to breathe more. Another highlight for me was the eerie acoustic guitar and synth instrumental "Myriads," a very beautiful little piece of work.

Clean vocals are used sparingly, which is good as the more wicked variety are a lot more convincing than the rather timid, gothy style. The guitar playing is the most impressive element overall, though, moving effortlessly from soaring and diving leads to twisted, angular riffs to all-out black metal speed. There are some well-placed keyboards throughout the album, too, though it is difficult to tell if they are all sequenced or not.

The first eight songs are actually from the album Phormula, but Earache has added a couple of remixes and three demo tracks to make Rephormula a more complete package. The remix of "The Embossed" by Homo Homini Loops is a rather blah effort, relying too much on fx and loops for its own good, whereas someone named Paso takes a shot at "Pursuing the Instinct" (I think) with better results. The three demo cuts show the promise of the Phormula tracks with slightly less distinct production. At 73 minutes in all, the disc is a bit hard to take in one sitting, but you certainly can't argue against the value for money factor.

It is always interesting to hear bands trying new things, mixing old styles in new ways, and Ephel Duath have succeeded better than most in this respect. Whatever preconceptions you might have about an Earache release, leave them at the door because Rephormula will be only too happy to smash them to bits for you in a matter of seconds.

 

[Lee_B]

From "Violent Solutions"

Eblouissante arrivée en pleine lumière pour ce duo italien qui a été l'un des deux premiers groupes (avec Rakoth aujourd'hui aussi sous Elitist) à faire les beaux jours du label hors-norme Code666. " Rephormula " est une initiative pleine de bon sens, à savoir la remise au goût du jour du premier album " Phormula ", un beau bébé de sympho black metal entre Limbonic Art et Arcturus, passé plus ou moins inaperçu en l'an 2000 dans le berceau encore timide de Code666. Un peu à l'exemple du diptyque " Demanufacture " - " Remanufacture " de Fear Factory, Ephel Duath ont donc pendant ces deux années retravaillé leurs morceaux en les trempant au passage dans un bain cybernétique, mais surtout en ébavurant les irrégularités. On se retrouve donc avec un produit qui possède et les qualités indéniables du prototype et le ticket originalité plus maturité apporté entre temps, sans compter qu'il bénéficie désormais d'un mix pimpant. La richesse de la musique est immense, des dizaines de petits ornements subtils ou de lignes parallèles inattendues explosant les uns à la suite des autres comme autant de bouquets finaux de feux d'artifices sans faire obstacle à la fluidité ou à la cohérence des chansons. Ephel Duath font depuis leurs débuts étalage d'une sensibilité toute particulière dans la recherche de leurs harmonies. Ne se contentant pas d'envelopper leur black de nappes de claviers, ils lui donnent une dimension culturellement spécifique à travers des entrejeux rapides et enflammés tels qu'on peut s'imaginer les rencontrer dans une pièce de théâtre baroque et grand-guignolesque - une touche très " Italienne " en somme, qui apporte un peu de sang chaud revivifiant sans pour autant qu'on ait l'impression d'être sous un chapiteau de cirque. Ca la violence extrême - pour ne pas dire parfois extrémiste - dégagée presque de bout en bout se charge de nous l'ôter de la tête. Et pourtant on ne peut pas dire qu'Ephel Duath manquent de raffinement ou de mesure, je leur tire même mon chapeau d'avoir su éviter la tentation de pousser les beats de leur boîte à rythme constamment à toute berzingue, ce qui aurait été facile mais aurait sans doute noyé la profusion de détails, de ces duels enivrants entre piano, synthés et effets divers dont aucun ne ressort nettement vainqueur, mais tous éminemment grandis. La violence d'Ephel Duath, ce sont des variations soudaines dans la cadence des percussions programmées qui claquent comme des déflagrations de tonnerre rapprochées dans une nuit de tempête. Au milieu de la grêle d'acier de guitares mordantes et volubiles, par moments ultra-mélodiques (presque progressives - cf. " The Danza " - ou joliment épiques - cf. " Insomnia's Desert "), l'adrénaline peut ainsi passer de 0 à 100 en quelques dixièmes de secondes comme elle peut retomber subitement dans une période d'aphasie où l'on se laisse glisser sur de calmes courants qui n'hésitent pas à mêler accents trip-hop à de très beaux accords vocaux de type déploratoires (" Greynesses Grow already Old "). Avant-garde est un adjectif pour une fois bien employé en parlant d'Ephel Duath, qui parviennent comme peu avant eux à caser une musique tentaculaire, tantôt fine ou chaotique, tantôt passéiste ou futuriste, tantôt aérée ou ultra-dense, dans un réceptacle bien carré où toute particule tient ses positions sans fléchir devant le flot d'intensité et la multitude de geysers sonores générés. En tirant de la sorte le meilleur parti possible de leurs fonds de tiroirs, Ephel Duath vont se ménager une bonne base de fans sans se condamner à l'exploit pour émerger du ventre mou des nombreux groupes qui aspirent à se défaire de leur étiquette black et errent en quête pathétique du philtre magique qui rendra leur musique irrésistible. En bref si vous n'êtes pas opposé à l'idée d'un Diabolicum un peu plus varié et virtuose, ou si vous adorez " La Masquerade Infernale " mais aimeriez la voir arborer un visage un peu plus tonique par instants, j'imagine que " Rephormula " couronnera vos attentes avec bonheur et vous garantira un parangon ardu à détrôner pour pas mal de temps. Par souci d'exhaustivité, je mentionnerai qu'outre les huits titres " réguliers ", on trouve deux remixes carrément technoïdes/jungle/noise/ambient et tout le catalogue réalisés par des DJ professionnels, dissections encore plus pointues et désarticulées d'œuvres de départ qui, on a du mal à se le figurer, étaient du black metal symphonique d'excellente facture. Pas forcément indispensable mais intéressant. Enfin, l'album est clôt par les trois titres également retravaillés de la démo " Opera ", histoire de témoigner d'une évolution fulgurante aux mille contrastes comme de sortir de l'oubli des morceaux déjà très classieux, personnels et structurés qui feraient plus que de la résistance sur un " best-of " de la scène black actuelle, et bien bonne figure sur un " Moon in the Scorpio " ou un album d'Obsidian Gate. Ecoutez-moi ce " Falling... " ou si Yann Tiersen faisait du black metal : monumental ! Les - sans doute rares - possesseurs de " Phormula " devront néanmoins y réfléchir à deux fois avant d'investir, mais bon on voit bien des gens acheter toutes les éditions possibles et imaginables de leurs groupes favoris même s'il n'y a qu'un morceau bonus, une croix inversée en hologramme ou un volet de carton en plus pour toute différence, alors pourquoi rechigner son plaisir lorsqu'on est certain de ne pas être floué sur la marchandise ? Car en vérité je vous le dis mes frères : " Rephormula " est un album que je suis sincèrement heureux de savoir bien au chaud dans ma collection pour toutes les fois où je me sentirai l'âme d'épicer mon ordinaire.

16/20

 

[Lee_B]

From "hardrocksmagasinet"

Rephormula är en remastrad version av bandets första skiva Phormula + ett par extra godbitar (ett par remixar och tre låtar från bandets Opera-demo). Så för er som har hört något från bandet innan så vet ni vad det handlar om. För er andra vet jag knappt hur jag ska beskriva musiken. Till att börja med så består bandet av endast två medlemmar - Davide (gitarr/sång/synt) och Giuliano (gitarr/sång(bas/synt/programmering). För att vidare beskriva bandet så handlar det tveklöst om black metal, men en väldigt unik sådan. Om jag berättar att bandets största inspirationer (bland andra) är Munch, Botticelli, Tarantino, Dalí, Doors, Warhol, Baudelaire, Tolkien, Nietzsche och Radiohead kanske ni börjar förstå att det inte är en lätt sak att beskriva musiken... Men det är väldigt intressant musik, stundtals riktigt bra. Om det här är en genre man är intresserad av, men man ändå vill höra något nytt så är det här verkligen en bra skiva! Och även om jag aldrig varit något större fan av black metal kan jag inte låta bli att gilla den här skivan.

5/10

 

[Lee_B]

From Live4Metal


Firmly entrenched within the realms of ‘Post Black Metal’, Italians Ephel Duath here serve up a package that is, if nothing else, good value. Not only do we get a reissue of the debut album on this disc, we also get two remixes and the demo tape ‘Opera’ tacked on the end. With the whole affair clocking in at over seventy-three minutes, there’s a lot of music here. Only one question remains - is it actually any good?
Within the first thirty seconds or so, Ephel Duath manage to make their intentions perfectly clear - intricate, reflective Black Metal backed up by sequenced drums and carnival-esque keyboards. Guitar riffs spiral and snake throughout the tracks, owing a not-inconsiderable debt to the dissonant tones of Voivod ( as is the case with other acts playing in a similar vein ). Ephel Duath also cleverly mix quasi-techno beats with the sampled blastbeat maelstrom, utilising drum sequencers to enrich the music rather than simply employing them because they couldn’t find a drummer. Ploughing similar furrows to Limbonic Art, though in a less conventional manner, it’s obvious a lot of thought has gone into ‘Rephormula’.
Unfortunately, the album lacks hooks and many of the tracks tend to lose focus as they progress. I hesitate to use the word ‘boring’, but concentration levels definitely start to wane during some of the longer pieces. The feeling one gets is of a band concentrating too hard on developing a unique, cutting-edge sound and forgetting to write any songs in the process. I’m also starting to get a bit tired of this ‘sinister circus’ atmosphere and while Ephel Duath clearly believe they’re wonderfully avant-garde, I’m not so convinced. Hamstrung by a sterile production, the record seems a bit light and ‘clean’, indeed the only time darkness really descends is on the second remix track, ‘Instinkt’ where a growling, low end pulse worms it’s way into the cortex and sends shivers down the spine.
Overall, the impression one gains is of a band in firm control of their art, displaying an impressive degree of competency. However, it is nowhere near as exciting as it promises to be and veers close to self-indulgence on occasion. It’s also somewhat disquieting to note how, already, this post-black metal thang is starting to tire a little.