Odin's Court - Deathanity has arrived!

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grogg

Member
Sep 9, 2007
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South Carolina
Got my copy in the mail today and been listening to it this afternoon. Very good work guys! Hope to see you down here in the sunny (and very HOT) south some time soon!
 
Drive up to DC some weekend for vacation when they are playing, and go to their show. Its not that far of a drive =p

Hopefully its in my mailbox when I get home from this conference.
 
Got mine in the mail.... will put it in the iPod so I can listen to it while I'm in the middle of the ocean for 9 effing days with almost nothing to do! :)

Seriously - I've heard snippets of each song... so far I like what I hear. Will hear the rest of them real soon! :rock: :kickass:
 
Awesome! Glad to hear that people are getting theirs disks! Even better that people are enjoying them. :rock:

BTW, we are expecting a good week's worth (at least ) of mid-90s and that's even up in PA!! And it really isn't a bad drive from ATL to DC, I have an extra 2 hours on top of that and its not too bad. So I hope people are able to make it to our Jaxx show with Suspyre and Dark Empire! We'll be playing even more off of Deathanity than we did in ATL.

I think I need to make a road trip to Steve's to hear it through his Klipsch system. ;) I know it sounds pretty awesome through my Polk's.

BTW, there *is* a review thread on our forum for anyone that is interested in writing something up.

Thanks to all for your support!
 
Cheiron said:
Hopefully its in my mailbox when I get home from this conference.
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Get it?

Diamond45 said:
Got mine in the mail.... will put it in the iPod so I can listen to it while I'm in the middle of the ocean for 9 effing days with almost nothing to do! :)

Seriously - I've heard snippets of each song... so far I like what I hear. Will hear the rest of them real soon! :rock: :kickass:
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Awesome! Hope you're enjoying it on your vacation. :)

SkiBumMSP said:
Yup, mine arrived as well and currently listening to it on my Klipsch setup. Sounds pretty damn good!
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Bet it sounds sweet on your setup! Hope you're enjoying it!

:rock:
 
Odin's Court is proud to announce that the new CD Deathanity will be released worldwide on 15 July 2008 through ProgRock Records. SPV will be doing the European distribution.

Odin's Court would like to ask all the OC fans, friends, and supporters to please buy the latest album through their favorite brick and mortar outlet or favorite online retailer at this time.

If you happen to live in the Baltimore, MD USA area, please make sure to use Record and Tape Traders, as they are running a special promotion for the new CD.

Album Details:

Deathanity(Web).jpg


"Deathanity is the latest effort from Odin's Court, a Maryland, USA band. The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by band architect Matt Brookins at D2C Studios between January 2007 and March 2008. Deathanity is an ambitious concept album dealing with the effects mankind's actions are having on the planet. Alternate views are offered through the use of instrumentation, lyrics, sound effects, and various vocal clips. Ambience, dynamics, and soul are combined with complexity, groove, and energy in a song oriented structure, to create a unique, surreal landscape. Each song, dealing with a different theme, is accompanied by a newly created word and definition in the album art. Special guest vocalists include TOM ENGLUND (Evergrey) and TONY KAKKO (Sonata Arctica). Other guests include Bill Green on tenor sax and Nicki Brookins, Elena Hall, and Suzanne Warner on backing vocals. Odin's Court, comprised of Matt Brookins (Vocals, Guitars), John Abella (Drums, Percussion), Savino Palumbo (Keyboards), Craig Jackson (Bass), and Rick Pierpont (Guitar), draws from classic inspirations such as Pink Floyd, Boston, Queen, Rush, Metallica, Yes, and Journey as well as more modern bands such as Devin Townsend, Chroma Key, OSI, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, and Tool."

Tracklisting:
01. Terracide
02. Volatilestial
03. Manifest Destiny
04. Oceanica Toxica
05. Mammonific
06. Animaulic
07. Esoterica
08. Crownet
09. Obesite
10. Ode to Joy
11. Cosmosera
12. Vastificant
 
We're starting to see some reviews come in. I'll post them as I get them (and/or as some are translated). If you happened to be proficient in German, French, or Spanish, I'd love your help. ;)



USA Progressive Music (7.5 out of 10):
Having been an attendee of ProgPower USA for the last 3 years it was hard not to hear of this band since a couple of the members attend each year. Though I don't think I have ever heard their music until this album arrived.
Odin's Court began in Maryland in 2001 with Matt Brookins. They have released two albums and a DVD, as well as sharing the stage with Kamelot, Symphony X, and Crimson Glory, just to name a few.

The album, Deathanity, begins with a much darker side to the prog world then what I was expecting. There lots of interesting time signatures as well as this "dark mood" that transpires from the music. This "dark mood" is present throughout a good portion of the album, which is something that I am not really familiar with in the Prog genre. Some of the highlights from the album are definitely the two tracks that feature guest appearances "Mammonific" with Tom Englund from Evergrey and "Crownet" with Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica. Tom shows up in the fifth track and f*cking owns and gives the band a superior guest appearance. The dual vocals are great sounding with the two different tones intermingling. It also didn't come off as just an Odin's Court doing an Evergrey song like how some guest appearances end up being. The robot effect to the vocals was an interesting accent, but maybe could have been done without. "Crownet" features an excellent beginning with a superior guitar line then a quiet proggy break down for a bit, then the bombastic prog/power sound begins to come out with the addition of Tony. The keyboards sound absolutely phenomenal on this particular track.

Other things that I picked up on the album are occasional occurrence of death vocals, which happen in situations you wouldn't expect. I would compare this exact action to what Riverside does in their compositions. The overall back and forth between the quiet artistic prog rock parts to the more aggressive parts will keep any fan of prog involved in the album. Another thing was that there is I believe 3 instrumental tracks on the album so don't expect vocals all the time, but do expect awesome epic music. Finally, a fun little addition that they include is a rendition of "Joy To The World" with "Ode To Joy" that would fit nicely on any Trans-Siberian Orchestra album.

Deathanity could be recommended to fans of Riverside or Evergrey or any other prog-oriented band that incorporates the darker side of the genre into their music. When you pick this up do not expect upbeat European prog metal a la Stratovarius - expect the unexpected.
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This is a rough translation using a composite of 3 online translators. :wave:


Hall of Metal Webzine (8.3 out of 10), translated from Spanish:
If someone recommend a progressive metal disc to you that just recently came out from a moderator of Dream Theater's forum, you would do well to take that recommendation with skepticism and strangeness
... however you would do badly if in ignorance you think that this is a project of a typical fan of the group that wants to emulate his heroes, because frankly you would miss a good disc.

The aforementioned one in question, Matt Brookins, singer and guitarist, despite not having participated in more metal projects (at least as far as I know), that does not premiere in 2008, but that his group, ODIN'S COURT (a band I did not totally know until now) already carries three albums to its credit.

Deathanity is the latest recording effort by this American group in the progressive metal style, with a very classic and noventero sound with a touch of the smoothest progressive rock. The music of ODIN'S COURT is more oriented to transmit sensations through their melodies than lost between instrumental masturbation, although the musicians are not invalid and in certain occasions are left to carry the most eclectic parts and work in the style they practice.

Despite the influences that can be found upon listening to the disc (Shadow Gallery, the first Vander Plas, or Dream Theater of the Dominici era), they are not too obvious. The sound of the group is quite personal with a lot of quality, and fantastic production for their music, very pleasant to the ear, nothing strident, with guitars and smooth refining where all instruments are in a place where you can distinguish each of them with complete ease. In addition, besides some of the traditional instruments of rock and metal and to give more color to their music, they wisely utilize classical pianos and even saxophone, interspersing them with delicious form.

"Deathanity", without abandoning the label of "metal" in progressive music, is a disc quiet, evocative and full of half-time themes, with a lot of feeling. It is a very heterogeneous album where songs are sprinkled with items such as instrumentals, dressing all of it with small interludes as if narrated in a movie. Fortunately, these short narrations and dialogues, rather than being done heavily, are well made and you get more of the history that the group aims to explain to us.

Giving a review of the best songs on the disc, we start with the spectacular "Volatilestial", an evocative, relaxed half time song, halfway between Vander Plas (especially in the vocals) and Shadow Gallery, full of passages and exquisite melodies. Changes within the theme are very natural, nothing breakthrough, and the tranquil parts graze the neo-prog groups such as Sand, filled with emotion and impressive guitar and saxophone solos. A theme to be left to carry, very comprehensive and very successfully. Is the best of the disc.

"Oceania Toxica", one of the disc's instrumentals, is simply spectacular. More technical, complex, and progressive than much of the album, it is a song to taste and analyze calmly so as to remove all the juice. A luxury for those of us who like progressive metal: changes of rhythm, stops well achieved, riffs something more modern, keyboards a lot like Awake Dream Theater, dreamy pianos, and movie loving voices. One of the star songs on the disc without a doubt.

Another cut to highlight is "Animaulic", another very beautiful half time piece, filled with emotion and melodies of voice and fantastic guitar, those who live triumph. It has a rapid part with one hand alone very heavy (in a section that even reminds of Iron Maiden) scattered with another much smoother part where again the prog rock is more melodic and accessible. A marvel.

Finishing this first review of the most successful songs, "Esoterica", another instrumental theme on the disc, is without a doubt one of the best of the album. It is a prize cut, beautiful melodies, tranquil guitars with the ability to transmit, and spectacular classical pianos grazing soft jazz. The protagonist here is very low and also has a place for their solos, in a terrific performance where one is pleased that the mix is so perfect to taste everything without anything being able to pass over you in silence. Especially noteworthy is the wonderful guitar solo that is pure feeling.

After reviewing the most remarkable, many of you may ask that if everything is so wonderful, why I did not score more? The answer is that the disc has some ups and downs. Most of the songs are spectacular (aside from those named, "Obesite" does not lag far behind) and much of the material here is one that invites you to escape away and fully enjoy the music at its highest expression, but there are also more difficult songs to deal with, some that have fallen below the level without being evils fear and other songs that seem a little out of place and reduce the homogeneity of the collective.

For example "Mammonific" (with the special collaboration of Thomas Englund of Evergrey) is too experimental in structures that do not carry to the concept of the disk and also has strange and extravagant
vocal melodies that are a little out of place for my taste. There is also "Cosmosera", which despite being a low point, is a correct theme regarding the majority of material found here, or the prog metal
version of the anthem of "Hymn of the Happiness" by Beethoven ( "Ode to Joy"), not home at all with the overall concept of the disc, at least as I see it.

Were it not for those items that have fall a little below the level, we would be talking about one of the prog metal discs of the year, but anyway, none of these smudges are too important to detract from this great record that I openly recommend to all progressive metal followers.

ODIN'S COURT is a great discovery, of which I will seek to hear their previous two albums to testify if they are as formidable as "Deathanity." If you like metal and progressive rock, this disc does not disappoint you. Word.
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Original in Spanish:
Si alguien os recomendara un disco de metal progresivo que acaba de sacar recientemente el que fuera moderador del foro de DREAM THEATER, haríais bien en tomar dicha recomendación con escepticismo y extrañeza...pero haríais mal si lo ignorararais por pensar que es un proyecto del típico fan del grupo que quiere emular a sus héroes, porque os perderíais un disco francamente bueno.

El susodicho en cuestión, Matt Brookins, vocalista y guitarrista, pese a no haber participado en más proyectos metaleros (al menos que yo sepa), no se estrena en este 2008, sino que su grupo, ODIN'S COURT (banda que desconocía totalmente hasta ahora) lleva ya, con éste, tres discos en su haber.

"Deathanity" es el último esfuerzo discográfico de éste grupo americano de metal progresivo a la usanza, con un sonido muy clásico y muy noventero y con toques de rock progresivo del más suave. La música de ODIN'S COURT está más orientada a transmitir sensaciones a través de sus melodías que a perderse entre onanismos instrumentales aunque sus músicos no son mancos y en ciertas ocasiones se dejan llevar por la parte más ecléctica y trabajada del estilo que practican.

Pese a que las influencias se pueden encontrar al oír el disco (SHADOW GALLERY, primeros VANDEN PLAS o los DREAM THEATER de la era Dominici), éstas no son demasiado notorias. El sonido del grupo es bastante personal y de mucha calidad, con una producción fantástica para su música, muy agradable al oído, nada estridente, con guitarras de afinación suave y donde todos los intrumentos están en su sitio pudiéndose distinguir todos y cada uno de ellos con total facilidad. Además, a parte de los instrumentos clásicos del rock y del metal, para darle mas colorido a su música, utilizan de forma muy acertada pianos clásicos e incluso saxos, intercalándolos de forma deliciosa.

Este "Deathanity", sin abandonar su etiqueta de "metal" dentro de su música progresiva, es un disco tranquilo, evocador y lleno de temas a medio tiempo, con mucho feeling. Es un álbum bastante heterogéneo donde se intercalan canciones como tal con temas intrumentales, aderezando todo ello con pequeños interludios narrados a modo de película. Por suerte, estas cortas narraciones y diálogos, en vez de cargar o hacerse pesados, están muy logrados y te meten más en la historia que el grupo nos pretende explicar.

Dando un repaso a los mejores temas del disco, empezamos con la espectacular "Volatilestial", un medio tiempo relajado y evocador, a medio camino entre VANDEN PLAS (sobretodo por la parte vocal) y SHADOW GALLERY, lleno de pasajes y melodías exquisitas. Los cambios dentro del tema son muy naturales, nada rupturistas, y las partes tranquilas rozan el neo-prog de grupos como ARENA, llenas de sentimiento y con impresionantes solos de guitarra y saxo. Un tema para dejarse llevar, muy completo y muy conseguido. De los mejores del disco.

"Oceanica Toxica", uno de los intrumentales del disco, es sencillamente espectacular. Más técnico, complejo y progresivo que gran parte del álbum, es un tema para degustar y analizar con calma para sacarle todo el jugo. Un lujo para los que nos gusta el metal progresivo: cambios de ritmo, parones muy conseguidos, riffs algo más modernos, teclados muy a lo "Awake" de DREAM THEATER, pianos ensoñadores y voces peliculeras. Uno de los temas estrella del disco sin duda.

Otro corte a destacar es "Animaulic", otro medio tiempo muy bello, cargado de sentimiento y con melodías de voz y de guitarra fantásticas, de aquellas que triunfan en directo. Tiene una parte acelerada con solos muy heavies (en una sección que recuerda incluso a IRON MAIDEN) intercalada con otra parte mucho más suave donde de nuevo se roza el prog rock más melódico y accesible. Una maravilla.

Terminando este primer repaso a los temas más logrados, "Esoterica", otro de los temas intrumentales del disco, es sin duda de lo mejor del álbum. Es un corte preciosista, de melodías bellisimas, guitarras tranquilas con mucha capacidad de transmitir y pianos clásicos espectaculares, rozando el soft jazz. El bajo es muy protagonista aquí y también tiene un lugar para sus solos, en una actuación formidable donde uno se alegra que la mezcla sea tan perfecta para poder desgustar todo sin que se te pase nada por alto. Especialmente destacable el maravilloso solo de guitarra que es sentimiento puro.

Después de repaso a lo más destacable, muchos os preguntaréis que si todo es tan maravilloso por qué no le doy más puntuación. La respuesta es que el disco tiene algunos altibajos. La mayoría de las canciones son espectaculares (a parte de las nombradas, "Obesite" tampoco se queda atrás) y gran parte del material que encontramos aquí es de aquel que te invita a evadirte de todo y disfrutar plenamente de la música en su máxima expresión, pero también hay temas más difíciles de hacerse con ellos, algunos que bajan un poco el nivel sin ser malos temas y otros que parecen un poco fuera de lugar y que le restan homogeneidad al conjunto.

Por ejemplo "Mammonific" (con la colaboración especial de Thomas Englund de EVERGREY) tiene estructuras demasiado experimentales que no casan demasiado con el concepto del disco y que además cuenta con extrañas y extravangantes melodias vocales que quedan un poco fuera de lugar para mi gusto. También está "Cosmosera", que pese a ser un tema correcto, baja un poco el nivel con respecto a la mayoría de material que encontramos aquí, o la versión prog metalera del Himno de la Alegría de Beethoven ("Ode to Joy"), que no casa en absoluto con el concepto global del disco, al menos tal y como yo lo veo.

Si no fuera por esos temas que bajan un poco el nivel, estaríamos hablando de uno de los discos de prog metal del año, pero de todas formas, tampoco son borrones demasiado importantes como para desmerecer este gran disco que recomiendo más que abiertamente a todo seguidor de metal progresivo que se precie.

Gran descubrimiento estos ODIN'S COURT de los cuales voy a procurar oír sus dos discos anteriores para atestiguar sin son tan formidables como este "Deathanity". Si os gusta el metal y el rock progresivo, este disco no os defraudará. Palabra.
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Like above, but with a rough composite of 3 online translators for French...


Magic Fire Music (13 out of 20), translated from French:
Originating in Maryland, the group Odin's Court offers us a small journey into the world of Progressive Rock through this concept album. Deathanity is the second album from this American group and proves to be a beautiful mark of maturity after a career of only 7-years.

Initially, it is rather difficult to get the voice of Matt Brookins, very hoarse, but once past that, Odin's Court reveals many things. Beautiful complex compositions, sumptuous melancholies and influences, which without being pertinent are really there. Yes and Rush are most identifiable on the compositions. For the heavier passages, personally I think of Threshold. With these powerful riffs accompanied by keyboards, the Americans distance themselves somewhat from the current scene by not offering us a copy of Dream Theater or Porcupine Tree. Indeed, for my part, I see more of a bastard marriage between Shadow Gallery, Spock's Beard era 'Day for Night', and Threshold.

As mentioned earlier, the structure of the pieces is very complex and sometimes proves to be somewhat convoluted. It sometimes seems disconnected, a little too much perhaps. This can be disturbing and gives the impression that this or that passage does not stick with any of the previous ones. One may even believe that it has neither heads nor tails. Fortunately the singer and guitarist Matt Brookins, with has talent as a composer, succeeds in the feat of ingenuity to unite it all. The production is correct; however, the mix done by Matt Brookins is rather strange, and does not put full value in all of the instruments. The narrative parts seem like they could do a little to ruin the whole, giving a taste almost indigestible at times, but we must recognize that they bring some realism to the concept.

The emergence of Tom Englund behind the microphone is a blessing. The high vocal level given by the Swedish one makes me regret that man does not sing on the complete album. The musical style is very different from Evergrey, but that suits things magnificently for the beautiful voice of Tom.

Deathanity still remains to be a good album, which will delight many people in the world that is the very closed sphere of Progressive Rock.
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Original in French:
Originaire du Maryland, le groupe Odin's Court nous propose via ce concept album un petit voyage dans l'univers du Rock Progressif. Deathanity est le second album de la formation américaine et prouve dès à présent une belle marque de maturité après seulement 7 ans de carrière.

Au premier abord, il est assez difficile de se faire à la voix de Matt Brookins, très rauque, mais une fois passé cela, Odin's Court laisse dévoiler beaucoup de choses. De belles compositions complexes, de somptueuses mélancolies et des influences, qui sans être pertinentes sont bel et bien là. Yes et Rush sur les compositions les plus softs sont assez identifiable. Pour les passages plus heavy, personnellement c'est à Threshold que je pense. Avec ces riffs puissants accompagnés de claviers, les Américains se démarquent quelque peu de la scène actuelle en ne nous proposant pas une copie de Dream Theater ou de Porcupine Tree. En effet ici, pour ma part, j'y vois plus un mariage bâtard entre Shadow Gallery, Spock's Beard époque 'Day for Night' et Threshold.

Comme dit plus haut, la structure des morceaux est très complexe et s'avère être assez alambiquée. Cela semble parfois décousu, un peu trop même peut-être. Cela dérange et donne le sentiment que tel ou tel passage ne colle pas du tout avec le précédent. On peut même croire que cela n'a ni queue ni tête. Heureusement le chanteur et guitariste Matt Brookins, avec son talent de compositeur, réussit le tour de force d'unir tout cela.
La production est correcte, cependant le mixage signé Matt Brookins est assez étrange et ne met pas vraiment en valeur tous les instruments. Les parties narrées viennent un peu gâcher l'ensemble, donnant un goût presque indigeste par moment, mais il faut reconnaître qu'elles apportent un peu de réalisme au concept.
L'apparition de Tom Englund derrière le micro est une bénédiction. Le haut niveau vocal du suédois fait regretter que l'homme ne chante pas sur l'intégralité de l'album. Un style musical bien différent de Evergrey, mais qui convient magnifiquement au superbe chant de Tom.

Deathanity reste tout de même un bon album, qui ravira pas mal de monde dans la sphère très fermée qu'est le Rock Progressif.
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This isn't really a review, but I guess it was supposed to be. :lol:


Hard Rock Info (no rating given):
Some kind of melodic/progressive rock and heavy metal. Pretty good sometimes, not so good other times. They would probebly be better if they would concentrate on heavy metal and cut the crap, or at least cut down on it. 'Cus they're not that bad actually.

ODIN'S COURT is a Maryland, USA band formed in 2001. They've recorded several CD's and a DVD through the years, according to the press release. But the same press release's discography only includes "Driven By Fate (2003) and this album, so I'm not sure about how much they've actually released so far.
"Deathanity" is a concept album dealing with the effects mankind's actions are having on the planet, and includes 12 tracks.
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The new disc rules!!!!


OdinsCourt said:
If you happen to live in the Baltimore, MD USA area, please make sure to use Record and Tape Traders, as they are running a special promotion for the new CD.
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If you are one of the people who will go to a Record & Tape Traders to buy the disc, come into the Glen Burnie store and see me. I'll more than likely be there since I never get a fucking day off!!!!

Great job on the new disc, Odin's Court!!!
 
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