Island Orakel
Vendlus Records VEND026 29 February 2008
By Jason Jordan
Now heres something you dont hear every day. Enjoy confident, progressive death metal intertwined with soft, instrumental portions? Germanys Island is your man, er, band. Specifically, Orakel is a re-release of 2004 EP Orakel and 2005 EP Island, and thus we get a 10-track record that makes for a solid, unpredictable 52 minutes.
While Island may be difficult to liken to any one band in particularthe raspy growls remind me of Seventh Angels, if anyone remembers those dudesOrakel is quite the gratifying listen. Spearheading the assault is the chugging, mid-paced Journey Through the Jewel, though others such as the trudging, war-like Grund, Enslaved-y Ueber Dem Thal, and DsO (circa Kenose and Fas) rival Serenity are equally crushing. Nevertheless, its crucial to point out that rarely, if ever, do any of these songs end in the way they begin. Instead, the listener must endure a variety of alteration regarding tempo, riffs, vocals, and, well, just about everything else. The remainder of Orakel is the Island EP, consisting of The White Ghoul, Veritas, and the title track. Its unfortunate that the tail isnt nearly as blistering as the head. Here, Island sound a tad lethargic, if not also similar to a less gripping Enslaved, except during the last track, which parallels mid-era Katatonia.
But, considering the impressive Orakel EP, this collection easily lives up to its price tag.
Official Island Website
Official Island Myspace
Official Vendlus Records Website
Vendlus Records VEND026 29 February 2008
By Jason Jordan
Now heres something you dont hear every day. Enjoy confident, progressive death metal intertwined with soft, instrumental portions? Germanys Island is your man, er, band. Specifically, Orakel is a re-release of 2004 EP Orakel and 2005 EP Island, and thus we get a 10-track record that makes for a solid, unpredictable 52 minutes.
While Island may be difficult to liken to any one band in particularthe raspy growls remind me of Seventh Angels, if anyone remembers those dudesOrakel is quite the gratifying listen. Spearheading the assault is the chugging, mid-paced Journey Through the Jewel, though others such as the trudging, war-like Grund, Enslaved-y Ueber Dem Thal, and DsO (circa Kenose and Fas) rival Serenity are equally crushing. Nevertheless, its crucial to point out that rarely, if ever, do any of these songs end in the way they begin. Instead, the listener must endure a variety of alteration regarding tempo, riffs, vocals, and, well, just about everything else. The remainder of Orakel is the Island EP, consisting of The White Ghoul, Veritas, and the title track. Its unfortunate that the tail isnt nearly as blistering as the head. Here, Island sound a tad lethargic, if not also similar to a less gripping Enslaved, except during the last track, which parallels mid-era Katatonia.
But, considering the impressive Orakel EP, this collection easily lives up to its price tag.
Official Island Website
Official Island Myspace
Official Vendlus Records Website
