Let's start with this one. 4/5. Would have got full marks had they not sung in English. Oh well..
http://www.blooddawn.de/revmain.php3?showRevID=642
Lee
http://www.blooddawn.de/revmain.php3?showRevID=642
Lee
RAKOTH - Tiny Deaths reviews
- Thread starter Lee_B
- Start date
Earache My Eye
Review: http://www.earache-my-eye.netfirms.com/reviews2/page12.html
"Rakoth from Russia release their highly controversial album Tiny Deaths, Tiny Deaths see's Rakoth stepping away from their previous Black/Folk sound to do something truly original. I still don't quit know what to make of it. One thing is for sure Tiny Deaths is going to divide their fan base, but I suppose if Rakoth cared they would of kept making the same music. Tiny Deaths defies convention so mush it's hard to describe, the closest I can get is the Alice Cooper album Da Da and Australia's own Virgin Black but sounding nothing like it, its ether pure genius or pure crap. Personally I like to think its pure genius (maybe I'm deluding my self, but it's a nice delusion) If your open mined and after something conpletley difrent, then get Rakoth's Tiny Deaths . If your not STAY AWAY." 4/5
Primal Agony
Review: http://www.geocities.com/primalagony/cdreviews50.html#16
"Russian avante garde metal act Rakoth has finally released their highly anticipated follow up to 1999s Planeshift. Although Rakoth did release a collection of re-recorded tracks in 2001 (Called Jabberworks), anticipation for this new collection of songs is overwhelming to say the least. Retaining the same line up in P.Noir (Vocals and flutes), Rustam (Keyboards, voices and programming) and Dy (Guitars, bass and sequencing), Rakoth seem to have pushed their unique take on medieval atmospherics/black metal vision further a field than on Planeshift.
The short Intro is a stunning piece that combines the use of acoustic guitar and flute, and seems to carry on from where their previous album ends. But theres soon a noticeable change in style. The imperial marching band sounds on Planekeep/The Crypt is augmented by some spoken word passages, clean vocals and some black metal growls. The music moves from the dramatic orchestrated movements to black metal interludes throughout.
Fevered is another short instrumental, but is closely followed by one of the albums highlights, Dawn. The gentle atmosphere works well, and the clever use of the simple guitar sounds simply adds to the morbid feel. Theres also a short black metal piece towards the end, proving that Rakoth really do throw everything they have into the mix. The programmed drums in Trust This make this sound more like a dance track, but things soon pick up with the stunning Edge and June 3. Again, Rakoth rely upon simple atmospherics with a penchant for the dramatic and orchestrated.
The spoken word piece Horizon is a little annoying (Considering its spoken in Russian), while Vicious Life is plain odd (Courtesy of the spoken word loops). Just Another Lament is a shade heavier than the rest of the album, while the title track (And final number) really provides the album truly metal like moment.
Overall, Tiny Deaths is something altogether new and adventurous for Rakoth. Its an experimental album to say the least, and depending how open minded you are, is an odd follow up (Or disappointing) follow up to Planeshift.
Although moments of greatness dont necessarily make a great album, Tiny Deaths is hardly a failure. It should be interesting (To say the least) just where Rakoth will move to after this."
For more information on Rakoth, check out - http://www.rakoth.cjb.net
Full Strength
Review: http://www.full-strength.net/world_review_rakoth.html
(same as above review)
Review: http://www.earache-my-eye.netfirms.com/reviews2/page12.html
"Rakoth from Russia release their highly controversial album Tiny Deaths, Tiny Deaths see's Rakoth stepping away from their previous Black/Folk sound to do something truly original. I still don't quit know what to make of it. One thing is for sure Tiny Deaths is going to divide their fan base, but I suppose if Rakoth cared they would of kept making the same music. Tiny Deaths defies convention so mush it's hard to describe, the closest I can get is the Alice Cooper album Da Da and Australia's own Virgin Black but sounding nothing like it, its ether pure genius or pure crap. Personally I like to think its pure genius (maybe I'm deluding my self, but it's a nice delusion) If your open mined and after something conpletley difrent, then get Rakoth's Tiny Deaths . If your not STAY AWAY." 4/5
Primal Agony
Review: http://www.geocities.com/primalagony/cdreviews50.html#16
"Russian avante garde metal act Rakoth has finally released their highly anticipated follow up to 1999s Planeshift. Although Rakoth did release a collection of re-recorded tracks in 2001 (Called Jabberworks), anticipation for this new collection of songs is overwhelming to say the least. Retaining the same line up in P.Noir (Vocals and flutes), Rustam (Keyboards, voices and programming) and Dy (Guitars, bass and sequencing), Rakoth seem to have pushed their unique take on medieval atmospherics/black metal vision further a field than on Planeshift.
The short Intro is a stunning piece that combines the use of acoustic guitar and flute, and seems to carry on from where their previous album ends. But theres soon a noticeable change in style. The imperial marching band sounds on Planekeep/The Crypt is augmented by some spoken word passages, clean vocals and some black metal growls. The music moves from the dramatic orchestrated movements to black metal interludes throughout.
Fevered is another short instrumental, but is closely followed by one of the albums highlights, Dawn. The gentle atmosphere works well, and the clever use of the simple guitar sounds simply adds to the morbid feel. Theres also a short black metal piece towards the end, proving that Rakoth really do throw everything they have into the mix. The programmed drums in Trust This make this sound more like a dance track, but things soon pick up with the stunning Edge and June 3. Again, Rakoth rely upon simple atmospherics with a penchant for the dramatic and orchestrated.
The spoken word piece Horizon is a little annoying (Considering its spoken in Russian), while Vicious Life is plain odd (Courtesy of the spoken word loops). Just Another Lament is a shade heavier than the rest of the album, while the title track (And final number) really provides the album truly metal like moment.
Overall, Tiny Deaths is something altogether new and adventurous for Rakoth. Its an experimental album to say the least, and depending how open minded you are, is an odd follow up (Or disappointing) follow up to Planeshift.
Although moments of greatness dont necessarily make a great album, Tiny Deaths is hardly a failure. It should be interesting (To say the least) just where Rakoth will move to after this."
For more information on Rakoth, check out - http://www.rakoth.cjb.net
Full Strength
Review: http://www.full-strength.net/world_review_rakoth.html
(same as above review)
ColdDarkNord
www.bragin.cz
Freely translated from the next issue of Scream Magazine, to be released any day now:
My colleague Blisten rewarded these Russians with 6 out of 6 for their debut. This made me buy the album, and I was not disappointed at all. I was not equally impressed by the follow-up. It was all a bit too ambious, and the album is now collecting dust in my shelf. "Tiny Deaths" is the band`s next effort, and this time I feel that the band have lost their way completely. Some good parts are there by accident, and the characteristic flute still has a positive influence on the compositions. What really annoys me though, us the cheap samples which are used. For anyone who have toyed with PC/Synth compositions, you know how easy it is to get good samples without it being very expensive. The equimpent Rakoth are using, sound like something bought in the 99p shelf at HMV, and it sounds more like plastic than an old computer game on the Commodore 64. Too bad, because it ruins some occasionally good songs. We can hope that Earache can help out with the funding here. Another thing that is bothering me, is that there`s hardly any metal left in Rakoth, and without that diversity much of the depth falls out of the music, and I am bored to death at times. I will though not give up on these guys yet, because there still is a lot of quality in what they do.
Andrè Aaslie
My colleague Blisten rewarded these Russians with 6 out of 6 for their debut. This made me buy the album, and I was not disappointed at all. I was not equally impressed by the follow-up. It was all a bit too ambious, and the album is now collecting dust in my shelf. "Tiny Deaths" is the band`s next effort, and this time I feel that the band have lost their way completely. Some good parts are there by accident, and the characteristic flute still has a positive influence on the compositions. What really annoys me though, us the cheap samples which are used. For anyone who have toyed with PC/Synth compositions, you know how easy it is to get good samples without it being very expensive. The equimpent Rakoth are using, sound like something bought in the 99p shelf at HMV, and it sounds more like plastic than an old computer game on the Commodore 64. Too bad, because it ruins some occasionally good songs. We can hope that Earache can help out with the funding here. Another thing that is bothering me, is that there`s hardly any metal left in Rakoth, and without that diversity much of the depth falls out of the music, and I am bored to death at times. I will though not give up on these guys yet, because there still is a lot of quality in what they do.
Andrè Aaslie
Emi
underdog
ColdDarkNord said:
yes! try to convince 'em to do some updates and maybe do a massive restyling of the site, they are quite lazy about this...
http://www.metal-inside.de/mi/review/2439
Decent review. He correctly states that Rakoth will do as they damn well please! hehe
Decent review. He correctly states that Rakoth will do as they damn well please! hehe
Kerrang
Russians lose the pretentiousness and grow up a little on third album.
"The oddly titled Tiny Deaths is everything Rakoth's last album Planeshift wasn't. The pseudo-epic black metal and ham-fisted bombast of that full length has been abandoned in favour of exploring the avant-garde tip of black-tinted experiemental metal. It's obvious that bands such as Ulver and Arcturus have played a huge role in shaping the sound of Tiny Deaths - indeed Dawn, Edge and the title track may as well be cast-offs from Arcturus's The Sham MIrrors album. Planekeep/The Crypt is a throwback to Rakoth's clumsier early efforts and tracks like June 3 are similarly overreaching. However, Tiny Deaths is a step in the right direction from a band that may yet become something special." - KKK
Russians lose the pretentiousness and grow up a little on third album.
"The oddly titled Tiny Deaths is everything Rakoth's last album Planeshift wasn't. The pseudo-epic black metal and ham-fisted bombast of that full length has been abandoned in favour of exploring the avant-garde tip of black-tinted experiemental metal. It's obvious that bands such as Ulver and Arcturus have played a huge role in shaping the sound of Tiny Deaths - indeed Dawn, Edge and the title track may as well be cast-offs from Arcturus's The Sham MIrrors album. Planekeep/The Crypt is a throwback to Rakoth's clumsier early efforts and tracks like June 3 are similarly overreaching. However, Tiny Deaths is a step in the right direction from a band that may yet become something special." - KKK
Rakoth
Tiny Deaths
Elitist Records
2003
I remember the transformation that Covenant made after releasing Nexus Polaris. While Animatronic was a completely different beast, the band’s new sound was non-less intriguing and powerful as before. Thus, after learning that Russia’s Rakoth will be making a drastic change in style on its upcoming release, I approached Tiny Deaths with confident calmness, thinking that these three incredible musicians could deliver the goods playing any style of music. Unfortunately, I was wrong; Tiny Deaths is an album that leaves long-time fans searching for answers. Not that the new material is atrocious, but rather that it’s a letdown after the band’s two previous releases, Planeshift and Jabberworks.
After numerous listens to Tiny Deaths I am not so much disgusted with the music but with the fact that it is such a frustrating listen because there are still occasional flashes of brilliance that will remind the fans of vintage Rakoth, yet almost every composition is butchered either by a slow, dragging pace, out of place techno beats, or Rustam’s whimsical accent, e.g., Dawn (5:19-5:33). Thus, out of eleven compositions, only about five are worth listening to. Songs like Fevered, Trust This, Horizon, and Vicious Life are a complete waste of time, as they showcase three individuals who capriciously ignore anyone around them to create what, in their opinion, sounds original and eclectic.
Still, there are moments on Planekeep/The Crypt, June 3, Just Another Lament (beginning, 5:25-5:44), and Tiny Deaths (6:11-6:20) that make me think, “How can something this good be a part of a greater, uninspiring whole?” This was the band destined for greatness, signed for its black-folk metal style particularly showcased on Planeshift, only to turn around and create an album that barely resembles its predecessor?! Sure, there are some nice flute parts heard on Tiny Deaths, but what about everything else? The majestic nature of Rakoth’s previous material is overtaken by dull and sluggish compositions; there are only a couple of instances where the album speeds up, the most upbeat pace is heard on the techno closer, Tiny Deaths.
Betrayal or simple foolishness? Whatever the answer for releasing Tiny Deaths might be, the new path chosen by Rakoth is not the one I am willing follow. К сожалению, открытого моря пока не будет. Mike.S
http://www.deadtide.com/index.phpsection=reviews§ion_sub=albums&page=page.php&review_id=764
Tiny Deaths
Elitist Records
2003
I remember the transformation that Covenant made after releasing Nexus Polaris. While Animatronic was a completely different beast, the band’s new sound was non-less intriguing and powerful as before. Thus, after learning that Russia’s Rakoth will be making a drastic change in style on its upcoming release, I approached Tiny Deaths with confident calmness, thinking that these three incredible musicians could deliver the goods playing any style of music. Unfortunately, I was wrong; Tiny Deaths is an album that leaves long-time fans searching for answers. Not that the new material is atrocious, but rather that it’s a letdown after the band’s two previous releases, Planeshift and Jabberworks.
After numerous listens to Tiny Deaths I am not so much disgusted with the music but with the fact that it is such a frustrating listen because there are still occasional flashes of brilliance that will remind the fans of vintage Rakoth, yet almost every composition is butchered either by a slow, dragging pace, out of place techno beats, or Rustam’s whimsical accent, e.g., Dawn (5:19-5:33). Thus, out of eleven compositions, only about five are worth listening to. Songs like Fevered, Trust This, Horizon, and Vicious Life are a complete waste of time, as they showcase three individuals who capriciously ignore anyone around them to create what, in their opinion, sounds original and eclectic.
Still, there are moments on Planekeep/The Crypt, June 3, Just Another Lament (beginning, 5:25-5:44), and Tiny Deaths (6:11-6:20) that make me think, “How can something this good be a part of a greater, uninspiring whole?” This was the band destined for greatness, signed for its black-folk metal style particularly showcased on Planeshift, only to turn around and create an album that barely resembles its predecessor?! Sure, there are some nice flute parts heard on Tiny Deaths, but what about everything else? The majestic nature of Rakoth’s previous material is overtaken by dull and sluggish compositions; there are only a couple of instances where the album speeds up, the most upbeat pace is heard on the techno closer, Tiny Deaths.
Betrayal or simple foolishness? Whatever the answer for releasing Tiny Deaths might be, the new path chosen by Rakoth is not the one I am willing follow. К сожалению, открытого моря пока не будет. Mike.S
http://www.deadtide.com/index.phpsection=reviews§ion_sub=albums&page=page.php&review_id=764
Harsh!
Nice new design to the site by the way
By the way, the Ephel album was cut into those sections for the promo copies only to try and discourage ripping (it didn't work...). It does explain that on the promo booklet. The regular copies sold in stores have nine tracks, not 99.
Lee
Nice new design to the site by the way
By the way, the Ephel album was cut into those sections for the promo copies only to try and discourage ripping (it didn't work...). It does explain that on the promo booklet. The regular copies sold in stores have nine tracks, not 99.
Lee
Uhh... I must repent. We always (before, of course) played BLACK (the truest possible) and FOLK (yes, sure - genuine Russian FOLK - any questions?) - now we have betrayed the very idea of metal. Oh damn we regret. From now on we will return to our roots (do you trust me?) and will always make music our fans (uh?) expect us to make. We will analyze those pointed out good pieces to find out what is really good in them - to ensure we make only decent music in future (if any, heheh).
PLEASE FORGIVE US!!!
P.S. (for Mike): It was not my voice in 5:19 - 5:33 piece of "Dawn". You write a review and people expect you to give them info you're sure about. Can they trust you otherwise?
Сердитая рецензия, ничего не скажешь. Какая неприятность. Придётся идти в открытое море без "фанов" и, тем более, рецензентов. Гы-гы...
PLEASE FORGIVE US!!!
P.S. (for Mike): It was not my voice in 5:19 - 5:33 piece of "Dawn". You write a review and people expect you to give them info you're sure about. Can they trust you otherwise?
Сердитая рецензия, ничего не скажешь. Какая неприятность. Придётся идти в открытое море без "фанов" и, тем более, рецензентов. Гы-гы...
Db review: http://www.dbmagazine.com.au/312/cd_Rakoth.htm
"In a word: weird. These Russian experimentalists are part of the new post-black metal avant-garde. Of course, this type of experimentalism isnt an entirely new addition to the genre, its just that what used to be the exclusive domain of a very narrow niche market of technical metalheads is now experiencing wider circulation thanks to the efforts of the larger labels like Earache and Century Media.
Tiny Deaths comes only a year after Rakoths Earache debut Planeshift, a bizarre marriage of black metal and traditional folk music. With Tiny Deaths, the folk elements are less dominant, but the genre blending continues to be as bizarre as ever. In many ways, the first real track Planekeep/The Crypt is emblematic of the eclecticism of the whole album: opening with a drum tattoo and the calling of horns, the track introduces a spoken-word passage of heavily Russian-accented English overlaid with flute before morphing into dark, sludgy doom. The rest of the song oscillates between these two extremes, adding some operatic baritone singing and vicious, thrashy black metal along the way.
But as weird and wide-ranging as it is, the songs on Tiny Deaths dont feel simply random. There is in fact something organic in the eclecticism, a sense that such disparate elements really do fit together (the exception is Trust This it's an unnecessarily loud break beat track that stands out like a blight on the whole album).
Tiny Deaths isnt as immediately listenable as, for example, Solefalds recent In Harmonia Universali, but nor is it as alienating as it probably could have been. A lot of the time, the experimentalism isnt exceptionally confronting. In fact, a track like Dawn seemed like soothing background music until the more aggressive metal passages intervened on the otherwise gentle soundscape. Others, like Edge, Horizon and June 3 display a delicate, understated splendour that seems to belie the experimental impulses of the album.
However, because this is Rakoths second album, it does lack the element of surprise that made Planeshift so startling: while Tiny Deaths is not just a rehash of old ideas from Planeshift, it does traverse similar territory. Nonetheless, Rakoth are to be commended for further pushing the limits of what is possible within a metal framework.
Whatever else you may think of Tiny Deaths (and this is certainly not an album for everyone), at least Rakoth aim to transcend the same old safe and stale genres and is worth buying out of curiosity alone."
"In a word: weird. These Russian experimentalists are part of the new post-black metal avant-garde. Of course, this type of experimentalism isnt an entirely new addition to the genre, its just that what used to be the exclusive domain of a very narrow niche market of technical metalheads is now experiencing wider circulation thanks to the efforts of the larger labels like Earache and Century Media.
Tiny Deaths comes only a year after Rakoths Earache debut Planeshift, a bizarre marriage of black metal and traditional folk music. With Tiny Deaths, the folk elements are less dominant, but the genre blending continues to be as bizarre as ever. In many ways, the first real track Planekeep/The Crypt is emblematic of the eclecticism of the whole album: opening with a drum tattoo and the calling of horns, the track introduces a spoken-word passage of heavily Russian-accented English overlaid with flute before morphing into dark, sludgy doom. The rest of the song oscillates between these two extremes, adding some operatic baritone singing and vicious, thrashy black metal along the way.
But as weird and wide-ranging as it is, the songs on Tiny Deaths dont feel simply random. There is in fact something organic in the eclecticism, a sense that such disparate elements really do fit together (the exception is Trust This it's an unnecessarily loud break beat track that stands out like a blight on the whole album).
Tiny Deaths isnt as immediately listenable as, for example, Solefalds recent In Harmonia Universali, but nor is it as alienating as it probably could have been. A lot of the time, the experimentalism isnt exceptionally confronting. In fact, a track like Dawn seemed like soothing background music until the more aggressive metal passages intervened on the otherwise gentle soundscape. Others, like Edge, Horizon and June 3 display a delicate, understated splendour that seems to belie the experimental impulses of the album.
However, because this is Rakoths second album, it does lack the element of surprise that made Planeshift so startling: while Tiny Deaths is not just a rehash of old ideas from Planeshift, it does traverse similar territory. Nonetheless, Rakoth are to be commended for further pushing the limits of what is possible within a metal framework.
Whatever else you may think of Tiny Deaths (and this is certainly not an album for everyone), at least Rakoth aim to transcend the same old safe and stale genres and is worth buying out of curiosity alone."
Sonm
Curse You All Men...
- Aug 14, 2002
- 2,337
- 19
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