Root - Daemon Viam Invenient
Shindy Productions - Shindy 107D068 - April 13th, 2007
Written by Michael Koger
One of the best and sometimes most overlooked metal bands to ever come out of the Czech Republic, Root has been toiling around in the metal scene now for twenty years. They've released a fairly stellar catalog over those twenty years, managing to keep their music interesting yet unalienating. They may not be much of a "black" metal band these days, but nods to their past are dropped enough to remind the listener from whence the band came. This year's Daemon Viam Invenient proves to be another intriguing release from vocalist BigBoss and company.
Daemon Viam Invenient is an interesting concept album dealing with "the stories of the daemons who I [have] met...on my life's crusade," writes BigBoss in the lyric booklet. This seems to fit in nicely with Root's history of lyric matter dealing with the darker and more esoteric aspects of life. The story seems to be about the rise of the human race as viewed by the race of demons watching from the shadows. The intro track, 'Black Dove & White Raven', is an acoustic number that says in the beginning man "appeared to be the friend of the order of the universum, but as the time passed by, he changed to be the worst creature we have ever learned." The choice for an acoustic prologue was an interesting choice, but it seems appropriate. The album, much like the human race in the lyrics, starts off seemingly pleasant, but the song ends with a boom before the track 'Human' begins. As the story progresses, the demons call on the universe to help them rid the earth of its latest virus. The universe answers by "[calling] upon her dead" and "[waking] the last of us who overmastered all the secret formulae." This Last one showed the demons how to instill the sense of fear into the heart of man, which would drive the race to madness and the brink of extinction. If anything, this seems to be the message (if there is one) that the lyrics are trying to send home: That humans should learn to live without fear and to learn how to be more in touch with the universe.
It's interesting how much the music reflects the storyline. It's a concept album in lyric and music. Songs like 'Human', 'Who're They?', and 'Sonata of the Chosen Ones' mimic the struggle between the demons and the humans. Ballads like 'She', which tells the story of the demons asking the universe for her help, seem very reverent and loving. On the seventh track, BigBoss is accompanied by a female vocalist, and the accompanying vocals work well. The music is just written excellently. The riffs and solos provided by Poison and Ashok are dizzying in their complexity at times and admirable in their simplicity at other times. The drums keep up with the tempo changes and fit the bill perfectly. Even the bass isn't buried underneath the mix. Daemon Viam Invenient really showcases the band's ability to fit nicely into any genre niche. Whether it be the thrashing fury of 'Who're They' or the groovy breakdown at the one minute mark of 'Awakening', Root shows they have every area covered.
The only drawbacks on the album may be the last two tracks. They seem rather dull and uninspired compared to the preceding material. It's not a huge complaint. The last track ends with the opening melody from the prologue, completing the circle before fading out into oblivion. Of course, BigBoss's unique approach to vocals may be a slight deterrent to some people, but the fact that they're completely different from most other metal bands may be the reason why I love them. Daemon Viam Invenient is an excellent album, and it fits in nicely with Root's two decades worth of solid recording material.
Official Root Website
Root on Myspace
Shindy Productions Website (in English)
Shindy Productions - Shindy 107D068 - April 13th, 2007
Written by Michael Koger
One of the best and sometimes most overlooked metal bands to ever come out of the Czech Republic, Root has been toiling around in the metal scene now for twenty years. They've released a fairly stellar catalog over those twenty years, managing to keep their music interesting yet unalienating. They may not be much of a "black" metal band these days, but nods to their past are dropped enough to remind the listener from whence the band came. This year's Daemon Viam Invenient proves to be another intriguing release from vocalist BigBoss and company.
Daemon Viam Invenient is an interesting concept album dealing with "the stories of the daemons who I [have] met...on my life's crusade," writes BigBoss in the lyric booklet. This seems to fit in nicely with Root's history of lyric matter dealing with the darker and more esoteric aspects of life. The story seems to be about the rise of the human race as viewed by the race of demons watching from the shadows. The intro track, 'Black Dove & White Raven', is an acoustic number that says in the beginning man "appeared to be the friend of the order of the universum, but as the time passed by, he changed to be the worst creature we have ever learned." The choice for an acoustic prologue was an interesting choice, but it seems appropriate. The album, much like the human race in the lyrics, starts off seemingly pleasant, but the song ends with a boom before the track 'Human' begins. As the story progresses, the demons call on the universe to help them rid the earth of its latest virus. The universe answers by "[calling] upon her dead" and "[waking] the last of us who overmastered all the secret formulae." This Last one showed the demons how to instill the sense of fear into the heart of man, which would drive the race to madness and the brink of extinction. If anything, this seems to be the message (if there is one) that the lyrics are trying to send home: That humans should learn to live without fear and to learn how to be more in touch with the universe.
It's interesting how much the music reflects the storyline. It's a concept album in lyric and music. Songs like 'Human', 'Who're They?', and 'Sonata of the Chosen Ones' mimic the struggle between the demons and the humans. Ballads like 'She', which tells the story of the demons asking the universe for her help, seem very reverent and loving. On the seventh track, BigBoss is accompanied by a female vocalist, and the accompanying vocals work well. The music is just written excellently. The riffs and solos provided by Poison and Ashok are dizzying in their complexity at times and admirable in their simplicity at other times. The drums keep up with the tempo changes and fit the bill perfectly. Even the bass isn't buried underneath the mix. Daemon Viam Invenient really showcases the band's ability to fit nicely into any genre niche. Whether it be the thrashing fury of 'Who're They' or the groovy breakdown at the one minute mark of 'Awakening', Root shows they have every area covered.
The only drawbacks on the album may be the last two tracks. They seem rather dull and uninspired compared to the preceding material. It's not a huge complaint. The last track ends with the opening melody from the prologue, completing the circle before fading out into oblivion. Of course, BigBoss's unique approach to vocals may be a slight deterrent to some people, but the fact that they're completely different from most other metal bands may be the reason why I love them. Daemon Viam Invenient is an excellent album, and it fits in nicely with Root's two decades worth of solid recording material.
Official Root Website
Root on Myspace
Shindy Productions Website (in English)
