SECRETS OF THE SKY To Sail Black Waters
- Thread starter lorenzo_kolony
- Start date
First review online by Destructive-music.com - rating 9/10!
"Released through Kolony Records comes the brand new full length album from US progressive black/doomsters Secrets of the Sky.
Ever the thoughtful and thought provoking release, To Sail Black Waters opens with Winter, a dark slab of death doom intensity, harsh growled vocals and a slow rumbling pace, tempered frequently from more melodic, acoustic wanderings and the occasional drop into more sinister black metal styled vocals. Emotive guitar solos creep outwards from the depths of the bands sound, shrouded in whispered vocals and ponderous moods. Many an influence has been included within the folds and fabric of To Sail Black Waters so dont be surprised to hear some truly progressive rock style melodies and moods drifting towards you in this opening track, nor in the rest of the album. Decline starts in a powerful way, overbearing and filled with trepidation. Yet when things progress there is a huge Type O Negative influence to the sound as a gothic doom stance sets in and the vocals become cleaner for a moment, eerie and very nostalgic yet also with elements of Anathema and a touch of Woods of Ypres about them!
Kicking off the second half to this four track masterpiece is the equally Type O orientated Sunrise which grooves along nicely whilst casting a far stretching sense of melancholy about it. Finishing with Black Waters I can safely say (Having spent the last five hours playing this album on repeat) that this is a superb, emotional and mind bending album, twisting, turning and contorting throughout, and with enough nostalgia for other sounds that youll play it again and again." [LUKE HAYHURST]
Link:
http://destructive-music.com/?p=9906
"Released through Kolony Records comes the brand new full length album from US progressive black/doomsters Secrets of the Sky.
Ever the thoughtful and thought provoking release, To Sail Black Waters opens with Winter, a dark slab of death doom intensity, harsh growled vocals and a slow rumbling pace, tempered frequently from more melodic, acoustic wanderings and the occasional drop into more sinister black metal styled vocals. Emotive guitar solos creep outwards from the depths of the bands sound, shrouded in whispered vocals and ponderous moods. Many an influence has been included within the folds and fabric of To Sail Black Waters so dont be surprised to hear some truly progressive rock style melodies and moods drifting towards you in this opening track, nor in the rest of the album. Decline starts in a powerful way, overbearing and filled with trepidation. Yet when things progress there is a huge Type O Negative influence to the sound as a gothic doom stance sets in and the vocals become cleaner for a moment, eerie and very nostalgic yet also with elements of Anathema and a touch of Woods of Ypres about them!
Kicking off the second half to this four track masterpiece is the equally Type O orientated Sunrise which grooves along nicely whilst casting a far stretching sense of melancholy about it. Finishing with Black Waters I can safely say (Having spent the last five hours playing this album on repeat) that this is a superb, emotional and mind bending album, twisting, turning and contorting throughout, and with enough nostalgia for other sounds that youll play it again and again." [LUKE HAYHURST]
Link:
http://destructive-music.com/?p=9906
New review, this time from Queensofsteel.com - 8/10!
"El sexteto yanqui SECRETS OF THE SKY, prometedor y único donde los haya saca este 2013 su álbum debut, titulado “To Sail Black Waters”. Y lo cierto es que no hay título más descriptivo para una obra como esta, en la cual navegan por distintos mares, siempre de aguas turbias y oscuras, en las que es difícil predecir que hay al fondo, a través de las cuales es imposible ver. Aguas sombrías e impredecibles, tanto con oleajes inesperados como con apacible calma.
Es imposible intentar catalogar el sonido de SECRETS OF THE SKY, puesto combinan elementos de distintos géneros musicales. Basándose en un sonido oscuro y denso de principio a fin, combinan un Doom de inspiración black metalera en algunos momentos con la composición y enfoque del Metal progresivo, con constantes cambios y giros, con sorpresas en cada esquina. También juega un papel fundamental el sonido atmosférico, a veces hipnotizante y teatral, con un sentimiento muy dramático, aunque no faltan momentos de tintes Post-Rock al más puro estilo ISIS. De todas formas no imaginéis otra cosa, el sonido es orgánico, potente y crudo, acorde con su lado más Black y encajando a la perfección con el ambiente opresivo puramente Doom, todo ello con un enfoque actual. Por otra lado, si la composición excelente y amena (a pesar de la larga duración de los cortes, están tan bien desarrollados y con tantos elementos distintos que para nada resultan aburridos o monótonos), la instrumentación es realmente única también, ya que cuentan con hasta tres pistas de guitarra y tres teclados utilizados al mismo tiempo, mientras las líneas vocales se adaptan a la perfección a la versatilidad de su música, con momentos que parecen cánticos, voces limpias melódicas y casi épicas (como en “Decline”, posiblemente la canción más elaborada y que mejor describe la personalidad del combo, combinando todos sus elementos de una forma brillante) con aullidos y graves voces guturales.
“To Sail Black Waters” es pura oscuridad y asfixia sónica transportada a través de un estilo único creado a partir de una combinación entre distintos géneros musicales. Tan solo podéis esperar lo inesperado, pero siempre con emoción e una intensa atmósfera. Una auténtica experiencia sonora." [Tania Giménez]
Link:
http://www.queensofsteel.com/2013/08/secrets-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters
"El sexteto yanqui SECRETS OF THE SKY, prometedor y único donde los haya saca este 2013 su álbum debut, titulado “To Sail Black Waters”. Y lo cierto es que no hay título más descriptivo para una obra como esta, en la cual navegan por distintos mares, siempre de aguas turbias y oscuras, en las que es difícil predecir que hay al fondo, a través de las cuales es imposible ver. Aguas sombrías e impredecibles, tanto con oleajes inesperados como con apacible calma.
Es imposible intentar catalogar el sonido de SECRETS OF THE SKY, puesto combinan elementos de distintos géneros musicales. Basándose en un sonido oscuro y denso de principio a fin, combinan un Doom de inspiración black metalera en algunos momentos con la composición y enfoque del Metal progresivo, con constantes cambios y giros, con sorpresas en cada esquina. También juega un papel fundamental el sonido atmosférico, a veces hipnotizante y teatral, con un sentimiento muy dramático, aunque no faltan momentos de tintes Post-Rock al más puro estilo ISIS. De todas formas no imaginéis otra cosa, el sonido es orgánico, potente y crudo, acorde con su lado más Black y encajando a la perfección con el ambiente opresivo puramente Doom, todo ello con un enfoque actual. Por otra lado, si la composición excelente y amena (a pesar de la larga duración de los cortes, están tan bien desarrollados y con tantos elementos distintos que para nada resultan aburridos o monótonos), la instrumentación es realmente única también, ya que cuentan con hasta tres pistas de guitarra y tres teclados utilizados al mismo tiempo, mientras las líneas vocales se adaptan a la perfección a la versatilidad de su música, con momentos que parecen cánticos, voces limpias melódicas y casi épicas (como en “Decline”, posiblemente la canción más elaborada y que mejor describe la personalidad del combo, combinando todos sus elementos de una forma brillante) con aullidos y graves voces guturales.
“To Sail Black Waters” es pura oscuridad y asfixia sónica transportada a través de un estilo único creado a partir de una combinación entre distintos géneros musicales. Tan solo podéis esperar lo inesperado, pero siempre con emoción e una intensa atmósfera. Una auténtica experiencia sonora." [Tania Giménez]
Link:
http://www.queensofsteel.com/2013/08/secrets-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters
SECRETS OF THE SKY interview by Destructive-music.com!
Following the release of their brand new album “To Sail Black Waters” and my subsequent review I got the chance to ask Secrets of the Sky a few questions. Here is what they had to say…
Thank you for taking the time out to speak with me. I’d like to start by asking about the name of your band. Secrets of the Sky brings to mind many images and thoughts, whether it be one of faith, Gods inhabiting the skies and looking down on us, or the frequent aerial battles that have been waged in the last century. Can you describe to me what the name means to you?
Garett: (vocals/keys) There is a way in which we want that to be revealed, but I don’t think we want to just tell of it outright, the lyrics, the sound, and the places between places that we hide the clues are where the listener can learn the meaning of our name, and once they do, I hope they will let us know… We would love for fans to figure it out.
It feels like there is a parallel when it comes to your new album. On one side your name Secrets of the Sky contrasts with its mirror image in a way, “To Sail Black Waters”. Is this merely a coincidence or was there an element of symmetry to your thinking?
Clayton: If we told you exactly what we had in mind, I think it would spoil the fun of the entire experience. We are working on writing the next record presently, and many of the themes we are touching on here will be revisited… things will become less cloudy as time goes on.
Garett: There is an inherent symmetrical element to all that we produce, it’s part of the greater work that is our undertaking. The title “To Sail Black Waters” represents a fragment of the symbolic tapestry which we have chosen for you to see.
“To Sail Black Waters” is put simply a quite stunning piece of work which uses many layers, influences and textures to create a very varied and intense body of work. Would you say that your sound has been born through an accumulation of music you have collectively listened too over the years or was your sound always set in stone? A conscious decision from the beginning?
Clayton: Thank you for that! When Chris (Anderson) and I starting working on material for what would become this project, I believe we set out to do something a bit different, definitely along the lines of how the album turned out. It doesn’t hurt that many of us listen to very different types of “metal” along with other genres. So the main writers on this album were definitely influenced by an astonishingly different array of influences. Some of us stopped listening to outside music at all during the writing.
How did you find the whole creative/writing/recording experience for this album? Do you enjoy your time in the studio or are you more comfortable in a live scenario?
Clayton: It was amazingly fun… all aspects. I think the stuff that we chose to focus on for the record came together over quite a long period, but it was always a natural process, never forced. Recording is always a good time and Juan Urteaga, who recorded and mixed the thing is an old friend and very good at what he does. Of course, we love playing live as well. The songs were all worked out and arranged live, so that is the most comfortable way to recreate them in my opinion.
Garett: For me it was a great experience to be in the studio, I’ve never worked with a sound engineer like Juan, being a metal vocalist himself, I feel like he just got it right away… Playing live is where it all comes to life for me, that’s what I live for, but I must say that recording this record was not only an inspiring event in my life, it was revolutionary for me personally in many ways.
Whilst listening to the album I picked up a very strong Type O Negative vibe about some parts of the music. Are you fans of Type O? Can you hear that influence within your own music?
Clayton: Ya, we have heard that comparison before. It’s cool… I love old Type O, most of the guys do in fact. I think our choice in keyboard voices probably brings that comparison out. I can understand that it comes across here and there, but I think we have a lot of other stuff going on that isn’t Type O-related at all.
Can you tell me about your local scene? How many people come to gigs in your local area? Are there many like-minded bands and would you recommend any?
Clayton: There are tons of legendary bands and clubs in and from the San Francisco bay area. We have had good responses so far for our local shows, I think. It also takes a minute for a new band to establish itself here due to the sheer volume of shows and different bands. We have connected with some likeminded locals, but probably more so with touring bands and people from outside of our area. Locally, Abstracter from Oakland, Saviours are always great, Catapult The Dead from the East Bay, lightsystem from Los Angeles, Before The Eyewall from Columbus, Ohio and In The Silence from Sacramento… too many to mention really.
What would you say your main influences are, be they musically or otherwise? What inspiration do you draw from them?
Clayton: Movie soundtracks and books, mostly of the darker variety. I like the idea of telling stories with music and I think we try to do that when we write.
Garett: I’m actually influenced by movie soundtracks and books as well, Danny Elfman soundtracks have been pivotal for me, and the late Oingo Boingo has been a huge influence on my lyrics. I’m also deeply inspired and indebted to bands like Tristania with Morten Veland, Watain, Gorgoroth with Gaahl, Dark Throne, Mayhem, Christian Death, Urgehal, Emperor, Immortal, Dimmu and Amon Amarth. Writings that have played a massive role for me have been works by American poet Edgar Allen Poe, and the beloved Morrissey, and Bob Smith of The Cure, to name a few.
Finally, what does the future hold for Secret’s of the Sky?
Clayton: Well, in the immediate future, our record comes out in October and we are doing a Western US tour as well in October. We filmed a video for the song “Decline” back in June with director Andrew Nethery, and that will be available shortly as well… other than planning for those things, we have been working on the next record and are extremely excited about it. After our tour, etc. we will probably get back to working on that as well as planning another tour, hopefully Europe (fingers crossed!).
Garett: I want to take this band to Europe.
Cheers for your time
Link:
http://destructive-music.com/?p=10020
Following the release of their brand new album “To Sail Black Waters” and my subsequent review I got the chance to ask Secrets of the Sky a few questions. Here is what they had to say…
Thank you for taking the time out to speak with me. I’d like to start by asking about the name of your band. Secrets of the Sky brings to mind many images and thoughts, whether it be one of faith, Gods inhabiting the skies and looking down on us, or the frequent aerial battles that have been waged in the last century. Can you describe to me what the name means to you?
Garett: (vocals/keys) There is a way in which we want that to be revealed, but I don’t think we want to just tell of it outright, the lyrics, the sound, and the places between places that we hide the clues are where the listener can learn the meaning of our name, and once they do, I hope they will let us know… We would love for fans to figure it out.
It feels like there is a parallel when it comes to your new album. On one side your name Secrets of the Sky contrasts with its mirror image in a way, “To Sail Black Waters”. Is this merely a coincidence or was there an element of symmetry to your thinking?
Clayton: If we told you exactly what we had in mind, I think it would spoil the fun of the entire experience. We are working on writing the next record presently, and many of the themes we are touching on here will be revisited… things will become less cloudy as time goes on.
Garett: There is an inherent symmetrical element to all that we produce, it’s part of the greater work that is our undertaking. The title “To Sail Black Waters” represents a fragment of the symbolic tapestry which we have chosen for you to see.
“To Sail Black Waters” is put simply a quite stunning piece of work which uses many layers, influences and textures to create a very varied and intense body of work. Would you say that your sound has been born through an accumulation of music you have collectively listened too over the years or was your sound always set in stone? A conscious decision from the beginning?
Clayton: Thank you for that! When Chris (Anderson) and I starting working on material for what would become this project, I believe we set out to do something a bit different, definitely along the lines of how the album turned out. It doesn’t hurt that many of us listen to very different types of “metal” along with other genres. So the main writers on this album were definitely influenced by an astonishingly different array of influences. Some of us stopped listening to outside music at all during the writing.
How did you find the whole creative/writing/recording experience for this album? Do you enjoy your time in the studio or are you more comfortable in a live scenario?
Clayton: It was amazingly fun… all aspects. I think the stuff that we chose to focus on for the record came together over quite a long period, but it was always a natural process, never forced. Recording is always a good time and Juan Urteaga, who recorded and mixed the thing is an old friend and very good at what he does. Of course, we love playing live as well. The songs were all worked out and arranged live, so that is the most comfortable way to recreate them in my opinion.
Garett: For me it was a great experience to be in the studio, I’ve never worked with a sound engineer like Juan, being a metal vocalist himself, I feel like he just got it right away… Playing live is where it all comes to life for me, that’s what I live for, but I must say that recording this record was not only an inspiring event in my life, it was revolutionary for me personally in many ways.
Whilst listening to the album I picked up a very strong Type O Negative vibe about some parts of the music. Are you fans of Type O? Can you hear that influence within your own music?
Clayton: Ya, we have heard that comparison before. It’s cool… I love old Type O, most of the guys do in fact. I think our choice in keyboard voices probably brings that comparison out. I can understand that it comes across here and there, but I think we have a lot of other stuff going on that isn’t Type O-related at all.
Can you tell me about your local scene? How many people come to gigs in your local area? Are there many like-minded bands and would you recommend any?
Clayton: There are tons of legendary bands and clubs in and from the San Francisco bay area. We have had good responses so far for our local shows, I think. It also takes a minute for a new band to establish itself here due to the sheer volume of shows and different bands. We have connected with some likeminded locals, but probably more so with touring bands and people from outside of our area. Locally, Abstracter from Oakland, Saviours are always great, Catapult The Dead from the East Bay, lightsystem from Los Angeles, Before The Eyewall from Columbus, Ohio and In The Silence from Sacramento… too many to mention really.
What would you say your main influences are, be they musically or otherwise? What inspiration do you draw from them?
Clayton: Movie soundtracks and books, mostly of the darker variety. I like the idea of telling stories with music and I think we try to do that when we write.
Garett: I’m actually influenced by movie soundtracks and books as well, Danny Elfman soundtracks have been pivotal for me, and the late Oingo Boingo has been a huge influence on my lyrics. I’m also deeply inspired and indebted to bands like Tristania with Morten Veland, Watain, Gorgoroth with Gaahl, Dark Throne, Mayhem, Christian Death, Urgehal, Emperor, Immortal, Dimmu and Amon Amarth. Writings that have played a massive role for me have been works by American poet Edgar Allen Poe, and the beloved Morrissey, and Bob Smith of The Cure, to name a few.
Finally, what does the future hold for Secret’s of the Sky?
Clayton: Well, in the immediate future, our record comes out in October and we are doing a Western US tour as well in October. We filmed a video for the song “Decline” back in June with director Andrew Nethery, and that will be available shortly as well… other than planning for those things, we have been working on the next record and are extremely excited about it. After our tour, etc. we will probably get back to working on that as well as planning another tour, hopefully Europe (fingers crossed!).
Garett: I want to take this band to Europe.
Cheers for your time
Link:
http://destructive-music.com/?p=10020
Heavymetal.dk - 9/10!
"Secrets Of The Sky blev dannet i 2010 og i starten af oktober udkommer deres ganske vellykkede debut. På To Sail Black Waters bevæger de sig meget overbevisende i tunge doom inspirede passager, såvel som i de mere følsomme og melodiske pauser.
Secrets Of The Sky har i studiet fået hjælp af producer Juan Urteaga (Testament, Machine Head) som virkelig har formået, at give bandets lyd den plads den skal have.
Første nummer på To Sail Black Waters er det enkle og effektive "Winter". Her bliver man langsomt ledt ind i Secrets Of The Sky's mørke og tunge univers af et simpelt riff for herefter, at blive mødt af en hårdtslående rytmesektion og Garett Gazay's vokal der nemt kan hive ens tanker til de mørkere dage.
Anden skæring er den lidt mere melodiske "Decline", hvor Secrets Of The Sky lyder til at have løsnet lidt op, der bliver leget lidt på trommerne, vokalen begiver sig fra nærmest smertefuld growl til helt sårbar og forsigtig.
På "Sunrise" og "Black Waters" slår Secrets Of The Sky fast at de kan lege med de helt store drenge og man er ikke i tvivl om at nogle af deres inspirationskilder er navne som Opeth og Isis.
Trods en spillelængde på omkring 40 minutter, er det imponerende, at To Sail Black Waters kun er fire numre langt. Secrets Of The Sky kan hele pladen igennem variere og spille sig igennem de 40 minutter uden at kede mig, derimod sidder jeg og håber på, at femte nummer skal begynde, da jeg uden tvivl gerne vil høre mere!
Som helhed er To Sail Black Waters et stort og gennemført udspil fra Secrets Of The Sky.
Der findes desværre ingen officielle videoer fra Secrets Of The Sky endnu, men mon ikke vi snart får lov at se hvad de kan finde på der også." [monstermoi]
Link:
http://www.heavymetal.dk/releases_view.php?id=5937
"Secrets Of The Sky blev dannet i 2010 og i starten af oktober udkommer deres ganske vellykkede debut. På To Sail Black Waters bevæger de sig meget overbevisende i tunge doom inspirede passager, såvel som i de mere følsomme og melodiske pauser.
Secrets Of The Sky har i studiet fået hjælp af producer Juan Urteaga (Testament, Machine Head) som virkelig har formået, at give bandets lyd den plads den skal have.
Første nummer på To Sail Black Waters er det enkle og effektive "Winter". Her bliver man langsomt ledt ind i Secrets Of The Sky's mørke og tunge univers af et simpelt riff for herefter, at blive mødt af en hårdtslående rytmesektion og Garett Gazay's vokal der nemt kan hive ens tanker til de mørkere dage.
Anden skæring er den lidt mere melodiske "Decline", hvor Secrets Of The Sky lyder til at have løsnet lidt op, der bliver leget lidt på trommerne, vokalen begiver sig fra nærmest smertefuld growl til helt sårbar og forsigtig.
På "Sunrise" og "Black Waters" slår Secrets Of The Sky fast at de kan lege med de helt store drenge og man er ikke i tvivl om at nogle af deres inspirationskilder er navne som Opeth og Isis.
Trods en spillelængde på omkring 40 minutter, er det imponerende, at To Sail Black Waters kun er fire numre langt. Secrets Of The Sky kan hele pladen igennem variere og spille sig igennem de 40 minutter uden at kede mig, derimod sidder jeg og håber på, at femte nummer skal begynde, da jeg uden tvivl gerne vil høre mere!
Som helhed er To Sail Black Waters et stort og gennemført udspil fra Secrets Of The Sky.
Der findes desværre ingen officielle videoer fra Secrets Of The Sky endnu, men mon ikke vi snart får lov at se hvad de kan finde på der også." [monstermoi]
Link:
http://www.heavymetal.dk/releases_view.php?id=5937
'In short, a phenomenal debut' - 'To Sail Black Waters' reviewed by Metal Injection. Enjoy!
"It is a rare thing these days for a post-metal band to break the mold. So many bands play sludgy, lurching, epic metal that it can be hard to tell what band is trying to sound like Isis this time. This brings me to the breath of fresh air that is Secrets of the Sky.
The Oakland based sextet takes what is a great but tired genre and adds a dash of black metal and a bit of prog. Imagine if you tossed Neurosis, more recent Immortal, and Porcupine Tree into a blender. Sounds like a fucked up mix, right? It's an awesome fucked up mix though.
The Sail Black Waters consists of 4 tracks that are rooted in sludge, that manage to take twists and turns throughout it's all-too-short forty-one minute run-time. There are moments of dreamy soundscapes, harmonized clean vocals, and crescendos aplenty.
A band they bring to mind is the Australian black-metal-with-a-violin band Ne Obliviscaris. They don't necessarily sound alike, especially because Secrets of the Sky simple aren't playing as fast, but their progressions are quite similar. Also, Secrets happen to employ a violin as one of the several talents of vocalist Garett Gazay. Their use of it is much more subtle than Ne Obliviscaris to the point where it becomes a game listening for it.
In short, a phenomenal debut.
Kolony Records will release this gem on October 4 in Europe and October 8 in North America."
Link:
http://www.metalinjection.net/revie...ts-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters#more-38524
"It is a rare thing these days for a post-metal band to break the mold. So many bands play sludgy, lurching, epic metal that it can be hard to tell what band is trying to sound like Isis this time. This brings me to the breath of fresh air that is Secrets of the Sky.
The Oakland based sextet takes what is a great but tired genre and adds a dash of black metal and a bit of prog. Imagine if you tossed Neurosis, more recent Immortal, and Porcupine Tree into a blender. Sounds like a fucked up mix, right? It's an awesome fucked up mix though.
The Sail Black Waters consists of 4 tracks that are rooted in sludge, that manage to take twists and turns throughout it's all-too-short forty-one minute run-time. There are moments of dreamy soundscapes, harmonized clean vocals, and crescendos aplenty.
A band they bring to mind is the Australian black-metal-with-a-violin band Ne Obliviscaris. They don't necessarily sound alike, especially because Secrets of the Sky simple aren't playing as fast, but their progressions are quite similar. Also, Secrets happen to employ a violin as one of the several talents of vocalist Garett Gazay. Their use of it is much more subtle than Ne Obliviscaris to the point where it becomes a game listening for it.
In short, a phenomenal debut.
Kolony Records will release this gem on October 4 in Europe and October 8 in North America."
Link:
http://www.metalinjection.net/revie...ts-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters#more-38524
'Mesmerizingly bleak' - 'To Sail Black Waters' reviewed by The Sludgelord.
"Epic progressive doom with blackened influences and aspects. So what do you get for your money. You get four tracks- the shortest of which is 7.43 long. This Oakland CA six piece know what to do with the time; each track is expansive, multi-faceted and will hold your interest. It's bleak stuff, which does not sound very Californian. Then again, I suspect much of Oakland isn't exactly how you might imagine/want California to be.
Winter comes in over the nine minute mark with a suitably icy sound. Screamed and low vocals trade off while the guitars range from melodic and mellow to positively feral. The production is pleasingly clear and bright- but still raw and grimy enough as to be appropriate.
Decline is mesmerising in its bleakness (that kind of sums the whole record, to be fair). It continues and indeed expands on the opener. Clean vocals add a Gothic aspect (think Type O, not The Cure) that is unique and welcome. Keyboards add another layer to the sound as the guitars weave together expertly. This is brilliant stuff. The pace is slow but fluid and the generous 12 minute plus length of the track allows you to really get into this most unusual of sounds. The final 3 minutes plus are even heavier than what goes before and features an excellent riff prior to the track breaking down.
Sunrise starts with a lumbering doom riff (backed with an interesting keyboard counterpoint) and thereafter dynamics are used effectively with some truly unpleasant vocals too. Again, there is a definite gothic influence here (to my ears, anyway) and I like it. The opening riff gets returned too; this is not just progressive throw anything in writing- the tracks work as pieces of music and structured songs.
Black Waters at 11.22 closes the album is impressively expansive style. The intro builds things very nicely as the crystal clear drums crash in with a well worked groove that the bass propels along until the vocals come to the fore. Real heaviness follows with those black metal-esque vocals ripping out of the speakers. The track then twists and turns its way along numerous pathways before stripping away towards the end.
If you are looking for a record that is a little different with elements of multiple sub-genres, give this album a try. Truly accomplished stuff and, yes, mesmerisingly bleak." [Richard Maw]
Link:
http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/secrets-of-sky-to-sail-black-waters_30.html?m=1
"Epic progressive doom with blackened influences and aspects. So what do you get for your money. You get four tracks- the shortest of which is 7.43 long. This Oakland CA six piece know what to do with the time; each track is expansive, multi-faceted and will hold your interest. It's bleak stuff, which does not sound very Californian. Then again, I suspect much of Oakland isn't exactly how you might imagine/want California to be.
Winter comes in over the nine minute mark with a suitably icy sound. Screamed and low vocals trade off while the guitars range from melodic and mellow to positively feral. The production is pleasingly clear and bright- but still raw and grimy enough as to be appropriate.
Decline is mesmerising in its bleakness (that kind of sums the whole record, to be fair). It continues and indeed expands on the opener. Clean vocals add a Gothic aspect (think Type O, not The Cure) that is unique and welcome. Keyboards add another layer to the sound as the guitars weave together expertly. This is brilliant stuff. The pace is slow but fluid and the generous 12 minute plus length of the track allows you to really get into this most unusual of sounds. The final 3 minutes plus are even heavier than what goes before and features an excellent riff prior to the track breaking down.
Sunrise starts with a lumbering doom riff (backed with an interesting keyboard counterpoint) and thereafter dynamics are used effectively with some truly unpleasant vocals too. Again, there is a definite gothic influence here (to my ears, anyway) and I like it. The opening riff gets returned too; this is not just progressive throw anything in writing- the tracks work as pieces of music and structured songs.
Black Waters at 11.22 closes the album is impressively expansive style. The intro builds things very nicely as the crystal clear drums crash in with a well worked groove that the bass propels along until the vocals come to the fore. Real heaviness follows with those black metal-esque vocals ripping out of the speakers. The track then twists and turns its way along numerous pathways before stripping away towards the end.
If you are looking for a record that is a little different with elements of multiple sub-genres, give this album a try. Truly accomplished stuff and, yes, mesmerisingly bleak." [Richard Maw]
Link:
http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/secrets-of-sky-to-sail-black-waters_30.html?m=1
Even MetalSucks.net talks about 'To Sail Black Waters'!
"MetalSucks co-chief Vince Neilstein does a lot of nice stuff for us. He answers midnight calls from faraway cities when an interviewee flakes or a VIP suite is too small. Hes at the other end of the panic button when were beset by tech issues or half-baked confusion. He deciphers loaded messages in emails to us from slick industry types. I love the guy and forever carry a pic of him in my ballz heart heartballz.
Annnd if you noticed his two frothy stories about that band Secrets Of The Sky (here, here), then youre right there with me as fellow beneficiary of a Nobel-level Neilstein Solid: SotS is incredible, and so little-known that we can claim their art-doom-via-Type-O-Negative awesomeness as our private thing (then huddle around them while twisting our moustaches and cackling). Their record To Sail Black Waters, as VN states, is out on October 8 on Kolony there were plans for a January release on our lifebro Josh Eldridges Gravedancer label? tho a couple SotS song streams (here, here) have disappeared. But Dawn is here and shhhh theres a free download and stream of Decline here muahahaha. Crank it up!" [Anso DF]
Link:
http://www.metalsucks.net/2013/09/05/listen-best-kept-secrets-of-the-sky/
"MetalSucks co-chief Vince Neilstein does a lot of nice stuff for us. He answers midnight calls from faraway cities when an interviewee flakes or a VIP suite is too small. Hes at the other end of the panic button when were beset by tech issues or half-baked confusion. He deciphers loaded messages in emails to us from slick industry types. I love the guy and forever carry a pic of him in my ballz heart heartballz.
Annnd if you noticed his two frothy stories about that band Secrets Of The Sky (here, here), then youre right there with me as fellow beneficiary of a Nobel-level Neilstein Solid: SotS is incredible, and so little-known that we can claim their art-doom-via-Type-O-Negative awesomeness as our private thing (then huddle around them while twisting our moustaches and cackling). Their record To Sail Black Waters, as VN states, is out on October 8 on Kolony there were plans for a January release on our lifebro Josh Eldridges Gravedancer label? tho a couple SotS song streams (here, here) have disappeared. But Dawn is here and shhhh theres a free download and stream of Decline here muahahaha. Crank it up!" [Anso DF]
Link:
http://www.metalsucks.net/2013/09/05/listen-best-kept-secrets-of-the-sky/
4,5 out of 5 @ Seaoftranquillity.org!
I wish I had the lyrics to this album in front of me because I get the feeling that this album tells a rather dramatic tale involving conjuring, magic, and demonic possessionthe very stuff of horror and fantasy. I also recognizedin the track "Black Waters"the infamous couplet from H. P. Lovecraft's "The Nameless City" which reads "That is not dead which can eternal lie, / And with strange aeons even death may die." Lots of metal fans know that couplet. It appeared on the cover of Iron Maiden's Live After Death (in slightly modified form) and also served as part of Metallica's lyrics To "The Thing that Should Not Be." In some ways, I could even argue that Lovecraft's language lines up perfectly with certain aspects of heavy metal's own self-conception. Some metal, like some of Lovecraft's tales, treats the overall strangeness of life and of death, the tenuous nature of human existence, and the simultaneous hope and fear of living forever. Maybe I'm making too much of all this, but I can't help it. It's fascinating to think about the ways heavy metal music intersects with stories and ideas written decades ago.
As for the business at hand, To Sail Black Waters is a strong and superb debut release, one that I'd place in the ongoing tradition of Lovecraft-inspired metal. The band's promotional materials suggest that the dominant musical influences include Opeth, The Ocean, Isis, and Agalloch. I'd agree with that list, though I don't know that any one of these bands would sync up exactly with what Secrets of the Sky is doing. To me, these guys sound as though they've already discovered precisely what they want to sound like. I was especially impressed with the way the band mixes doom with post metal and something that could be described as progressive rock. Instead of sounding like a confused hybrid of these three styles, though, the band keeps things grounded squarely in the low growl of doom metal; the difference between this band and others is that they are unafraid to fill the spaces with keyboards, violin passages, and clean vocals. It works. If anything, this band is expanding the sonic possibilities of doom metal without sacrificing its essential dark nature.
Fans that listen to this album in one sitting will find the whole thing to be thematically and musically satisfying. Those with shorter attention spans should at least check out "Black Waters." Even though the band is putting "Decline" before the public first, it is this last track that really captures the full range of what this band is trying to accomplish. Besides, "Black Waters" also has the Lovecraft passage I mentioned above. This is a solid debut from a band well worth discovering." [Carl Sederholm]
Link:
http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=15022
I wish I had the lyrics to this album in front of me because I get the feeling that this album tells a rather dramatic tale involving conjuring, magic, and demonic possessionthe very stuff of horror and fantasy. I also recognizedin the track "Black Waters"the infamous couplet from H. P. Lovecraft's "The Nameless City" which reads "That is not dead which can eternal lie, / And with strange aeons even death may die." Lots of metal fans know that couplet. It appeared on the cover of Iron Maiden's Live After Death (in slightly modified form) and also served as part of Metallica's lyrics To "The Thing that Should Not Be." In some ways, I could even argue that Lovecraft's language lines up perfectly with certain aspects of heavy metal's own self-conception. Some metal, like some of Lovecraft's tales, treats the overall strangeness of life and of death, the tenuous nature of human existence, and the simultaneous hope and fear of living forever. Maybe I'm making too much of all this, but I can't help it. It's fascinating to think about the ways heavy metal music intersects with stories and ideas written decades ago.
As for the business at hand, To Sail Black Waters is a strong and superb debut release, one that I'd place in the ongoing tradition of Lovecraft-inspired metal. The band's promotional materials suggest that the dominant musical influences include Opeth, The Ocean, Isis, and Agalloch. I'd agree with that list, though I don't know that any one of these bands would sync up exactly with what Secrets of the Sky is doing. To me, these guys sound as though they've already discovered precisely what they want to sound like. I was especially impressed with the way the band mixes doom with post metal and something that could be described as progressive rock. Instead of sounding like a confused hybrid of these three styles, though, the band keeps things grounded squarely in the low growl of doom metal; the difference between this band and others is that they are unafraid to fill the spaces with keyboards, violin passages, and clean vocals. It works. If anything, this band is expanding the sonic possibilities of doom metal without sacrificing its essential dark nature.
Fans that listen to this album in one sitting will find the whole thing to be thematically and musically satisfying. Those with shorter attention spans should at least check out "Black Waters." Even though the band is putting "Decline" before the public first, it is this last track that really captures the full range of what this band is trying to accomplish. Besides, "Black Waters" also has the Lovecraft passage I mentioned above. This is a solid debut from a band well worth discovering." [Carl Sederholm]
Link:
http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=15022
10/10 @ Metal-temple.com! 
"SECRETS OF THE SKY growls it`s way to the scene from Oakland, with their first full length release To Sail Black Waters. The album was recorded over eight month period with under the supervision of producer Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios. On this album you don`t get few smashing super hits, but four epics. That`s all. Four songs on the album, where the shortest track is 7:43 long. To Sail Black Waters brings entirely unique sound with up to three guitar tracks, up to three keyboards at the time and a whole lot of vocal styles that makes you doubt the fact that there`s only six members in the band. This album just can`t be put in a little box and labeled with single genre. It`s Metal, and it`s dark, and Cinematic from time to time, but also carries Atmospheric sequences, but then again there`s some Doom Metal, too. In a word it`s Epic! That`s all you need to know.
The opening track Winter comes with crushing sounds of guitars, low growling vocals that shares it`s place with screamed and whispered clear vocals. The SECRETS OF THE SKY`s vocalist Garret Gazay shows all things he can do with his vocal range. The track brings appropriate cold, icy sound, ranging from mellow and melodic all the way heavy, feral realms. The production is done perfectly. It`s clear and bright with just enough raw sound.
Next track goes deeper down in the darkness. Heavy slow rhythm, with screaming vocals, that turns into more melodic and atmospheric sound with clean vocals that add a Gothic aspect, and certain amount of lightness to the track, just enough to keep it balanced. Decline is mesmerizing multilayered track, one of those that you keep replaying just to catch every sound hidden within.
Sunrise comes crushing with doom guitar riffs that are complemented with growling vocals, that trade place back and forth with clean vocals. Here again the crushing music flows nicely into more melodic, cinematic parts, that change back into Gothic part, that again morphs to Doom/Death Metal sequence.
Bass line introduces the clear drums that builds up until the clear vocals come into Black Waters. The lightness of the intro is replaced with dark, heavy sound of crushing guitars and growling vocals. The track flows nicely between these two aspects that intertwine through the song, with numerous twists in between.
If you`re searching out for new interesting sound, and are not bound by single genre, than you should definitely give a listen to the SECRETS OF THE SKY. To Sail Black Waters is the album that you need to listen to more than couple of times to catch all nuances that are woven into this multilayered masterpiece." [Andrija "TheIslander" Petrovic at]
Link:
http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/s_2/secrets-of-the-sky-to.htm
"SECRETS OF THE SKY growls it`s way to the scene from Oakland, with their first full length release To Sail Black Waters. The album was recorded over eight month period with under the supervision of producer Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios. On this album you don`t get few smashing super hits, but four epics. That`s all. Four songs on the album, where the shortest track is 7:43 long. To Sail Black Waters brings entirely unique sound with up to three guitar tracks, up to three keyboards at the time and a whole lot of vocal styles that makes you doubt the fact that there`s only six members in the band. This album just can`t be put in a little box and labeled with single genre. It`s Metal, and it`s dark, and Cinematic from time to time, but also carries Atmospheric sequences, but then again there`s some Doom Metal, too. In a word it`s Epic! That`s all you need to know.
The opening track Winter comes with crushing sounds of guitars, low growling vocals that shares it`s place with screamed and whispered clear vocals. The SECRETS OF THE SKY`s vocalist Garret Gazay shows all things he can do with his vocal range. The track brings appropriate cold, icy sound, ranging from mellow and melodic all the way heavy, feral realms. The production is done perfectly. It`s clear and bright with just enough raw sound.
Next track goes deeper down in the darkness. Heavy slow rhythm, with screaming vocals, that turns into more melodic and atmospheric sound with clean vocals that add a Gothic aspect, and certain amount of lightness to the track, just enough to keep it balanced. Decline is mesmerizing multilayered track, one of those that you keep replaying just to catch every sound hidden within.
Sunrise comes crushing with doom guitar riffs that are complemented with growling vocals, that trade place back and forth with clean vocals. Here again the crushing music flows nicely into more melodic, cinematic parts, that change back into Gothic part, that again morphs to Doom/Death Metal sequence.
Bass line introduces the clear drums that builds up until the clear vocals come into Black Waters. The lightness of the intro is replaced with dark, heavy sound of crushing guitars and growling vocals. The track flows nicely between these two aspects that intertwine through the song, with numerous twists in between.
If you`re searching out for new interesting sound, and are not bound by single genre, than you should definitely give a listen to the SECRETS OF THE SKY. To Sail Black Waters is the album that you need to listen to more than couple of times to catch all nuances that are woven into this multilayered masterpiece." [Andrija "TheIslander" Petrovic at]
Link:
http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/s_2/secrets-of-the-sky-to.htm
8,5 out of 10 @ ThisIsNotAScene.com! 
"When I was in my school concert band everyone pretty much just played as loud as they could all the time, and because the balance of instruments was determined by what kids wanted to play, not by what was needed, you ended up with too many trumpets drowning out other instruments. If the music itself occasionally had no notes for the trumpets to play, you wouldn’t hear the clarinets, let alone flutes.
There’s a lot of music out there that follows much the same principle – no dynamics, all glory to the singer save for a short middle eight or breakdown. Thankfully, if you’re reading this you’re from that part of the population that appreciates the nuance, the dynamics, the disparate sounds that make up music that has artistic merit. Music like “To Sail Black Waters” by Secrets of the Sky.
The sound is at times doom, post metal, progressive rock, black metal and more, with influences from Isis, Opeth and the like but you can also hear a bit of Cult of Luna and the swirling synth-strings of melodic black metal. Song structures are flowing and disregard verse and chorus. The band calls it blackened progressive doom and that’s a pretty good description so let’s stick with that.
You get four songs on the album for a running time around 42 minutes, although shame on you if you don’t listen to this from start to finish each time. I’m not sure why bands release vids or streams of one song in advance for this type of album, as the band has done, which is like putting out 20 minutes from the middle of a movie before it’s released. The strength of a record like this is in its vastness.
On the whole this is heavy music that pulls you down into a mire of filth, despair and misery, quick to respond when you manage to raise your head above the grime for more than a few seconds. Despite having three guitars available they are condors, not peacocks, frequently soaring but forever ready to pick at the rotting carcass of humanity. They do their best work slicing away methodically at ground level. Keys/synth are also shared among three of the band, but they are subtle in creating layers, depth and atmosphere – it’s not a symphonic metal album. Drums and bass do plenty and help reinforce an undercurrent of arpeggios that tick us closer and closer to oblivion, driving the explosive crescendos, solidifying the doom and remain quiet when required.
All this combines to create vivid imagery, whether it be a huge lumbering beast from your nightmares around the 3:30 mark of opener ‘Winter’, with tortured wailing guitars atop the giant’s huge earth-shaking footprints, or the destructive chaos of the closing stages of ‘Decline’ as cities crumble.
The feature which stands out the most, though, is the vocals. No there are not two or three singers, it’s just the one, Garett Gazay, but not only does he slide between clean and harsh vocals, there are three distinct and distinctive growls that he calls on as well as whispered words and an almost angelic passage near the close of ‘Black Waters’. It’s the sort of variety found in the combination of Xenyor’s multiple styles of harsh vocals and Tim Charles’ expansive range in Ne Ovliviscaris, and adds so much more emotion and texture to the songs, especially given their length. The straight singing enhances the more proggy guitar sections such as around the four minute mark of ‘Decline’ as it contrasts with the swirling synth and vomitous growls at other points in the song. ‘Sunrise’ sees the clean vocals dig deep then lift before two different harsh vocals trade lines – this could be too much, but it simply is not.
While many two- and three-piece guitar acts continue to make up for a lack of numbers with an excess of noise, six-piece Secrets of the Sky use subtlety and dynamics to deliver a valuable and distinctive contribution to the tidal wave of progressive metal that we are enjoying at the moment." [Gilbert Potts]
Link:
http://www.thisisnotascene.com/2013/secrets-of-the-sky-sail-black-waters/
"When I was in my school concert band everyone pretty much just played as loud as they could all the time, and because the balance of instruments was determined by what kids wanted to play, not by what was needed, you ended up with too many trumpets drowning out other instruments. If the music itself occasionally had no notes for the trumpets to play, you wouldn’t hear the clarinets, let alone flutes.
There’s a lot of music out there that follows much the same principle – no dynamics, all glory to the singer save for a short middle eight or breakdown. Thankfully, if you’re reading this you’re from that part of the population that appreciates the nuance, the dynamics, the disparate sounds that make up music that has artistic merit. Music like “To Sail Black Waters” by Secrets of the Sky.
The sound is at times doom, post metal, progressive rock, black metal and more, with influences from Isis, Opeth and the like but you can also hear a bit of Cult of Luna and the swirling synth-strings of melodic black metal. Song structures are flowing and disregard verse and chorus. The band calls it blackened progressive doom and that’s a pretty good description so let’s stick with that.
You get four songs on the album for a running time around 42 minutes, although shame on you if you don’t listen to this from start to finish each time. I’m not sure why bands release vids or streams of one song in advance for this type of album, as the band has done, which is like putting out 20 minutes from the middle of a movie before it’s released. The strength of a record like this is in its vastness.
On the whole this is heavy music that pulls you down into a mire of filth, despair and misery, quick to respond when you manage to raise your head above the grime for more than a few seconds. Despite having three guitars available they are condors, not peacocks, frequently soaring but forever ready to pick at the rotting carcass of humanity. They do their best work slicing away methodically at ground level. Keys/synth are also shared among three of the band, but they are subtle in creating layers, depth and atmosphere – it’s not a symphonic metal album. Drums and bass do plenty and help reinforce an undercurrent of arpeggios that tick us closer and closer to oblivion, driving the explosive crescendos, solidifying the doom and remain quiet when required.
All this combines to create vivid imagery, whether it be a huge lumbering beast from your nightmares around the 3:30 mark of opener ‘Winter’, with tortured wailing guitars atop the giant’s huge earth-shaking footprints, or the destructive chaos of the closing stages of ‘Decline’ as cities crumble.
The feature which stands out the most, though, is the vocals. No there are not two or three singers, it’s just the one, Garett Gazay, but not only does he slide between clean and harsh vocals, there are three distinct and distinctive growls that he calls on as well as whispered words and an almost angelic passage near the close of ‘Black Waters’. It’s the sort of variety found in the combination of Xenyor’s multiple styles of harsh vocals and Tim Charles’ expansive range in Ne Ovliviscaris, and adds so much more emotion and texture to the songs, especially given their length. The straight singing enhances the more proggy guitar sections such as around the four minute mark of ‘Decline’ as it contrasts with the swirling synth and vomitous growls at other points in the song. ‘Sunrise’ sees the clean vocals dig deep then lift before two different harsh vocals trade lines – this could be too much, but it simply is not.
While many two- and three-piece guitar acts continue to make up for a lack of numbers with an excess of noise, six-piece Secrets of the Sky use subtlety and dynamics to deliver a valuable and distinctive contribution to the tidal wave of progressive metal that we are enjoying at the moment." [Gilbert Potts]
Link:
http://www.thisisnotascene.com/2013/secrets-of-the-sky-sail-black-waters/
8 out of 10 from Metal.it (Italy)!
"Debutto a dir poco interessante quello dei Secrets of the Sky, band di Oakland saggiamente messa sotto contratto dalla nostrana Kolony Records. Il loro To Sail Black Waters si compone di soli quattro brani, che tuttavia sforano i 41 minuti complessivi, ed è riuscito a conquistarmi grazie alla sua originalità e alla perizia con cui è stato composto e arrangiato. Trattandosi di band alle prime armi, stupisce il tasso di maturità dimostrato, così come la cura maniacale per i dettagli.
Bella forza! potrebbe controbattere qualcuno di voi, dal momento che i sei musicisti a stelle e strisce si sono trincerati per ben otto (!) mesi nei Trident Studios di Juan Urteaga, rinomato producer che può vantare collaborazioni, ex pluribus, con Machine Head e Testament.
Insomma, si può senzaltro sostenere che i nostri abbiano avuto tempo e modo per affinare le composizioni, potendo contare su risorse che la stragrande maggioranza delle band esordienti si sogna. Ma quel che importa, al di là delle premesse, è il risultato finale, e io trovo che sotto tale profilo ci si possa dichiarare ampiamente soddisfatti.
Inquadrare la proposta del gruppo non è facile, poiché molteplici sono le influenze rinvenibili fra i solchi del disco: di base, abbiamo a che fare con una band di progressive doom atmosferico, che attinge altresì dal calderone del death melodico e da quello del black, così come si possono udire qua e là le dissonanti digressioni tipiche di bands come gli Isis. Il tutto suona coeso e omogeneo grazie al feeling delle composizioni che, come la bella copertina suggerisce, spingono incessantemente lascoltatore nelle più buie profondità degli abissi marini. I Secrets of the Sky infatti riescono, grazie a soluzioni soffocanti e solenni al tempo stesso, a farci provare il senso di angoscioso ottenebramento proprio di chi si trovi senzaria e senza luce, sconfitto dalle gelide acque oceaniche.
Importante rimarcare, a questo punto, come simile risultato venga raggiunto in modo sottile, deliberato, con un certosino dosaggio di fasi acustiche, riff lenti quanto malevoli e parentesi atmosferiche. Insomma, il combo americano ha lavorato sodo anche in sede di songwriting, e lo sforzo è stato ripagato.
Sarà necessario, tuttavia, pazientare qualche ascolto per decriptare appieno le complesse canzoni, che difficilmente scelgono lo scontro frontale ma che più facilmente optano per un approccio meditabondo, erratico, ad una prima analisi anche dispersivo. Già a partire dal terzo/quarto passaggio del cd sul lettore, tuttavia, vi accorgerete che i continui cambi hanno un senso ben preciso, e rendono lesperienza uditiva sempre stimolante.
Senza dubbio lodevole la prestazione dei musicisti coinvolti; spendo una parola in più per il singer Garret Gazay, che spazia senza apparente affanno dal growling più cavernoso allo screaming, dalle clean vocals (che mi hanno ricordato quelle di Ed Gibbs degli ottimi Devil Sold His Soul) alle parti giocate su registri bassi(ssimi) alla Pete Steele Complimenti.
Visto che i pezzi presenti in tracklist, come già specificato, sono solo quattro, non si sta certo discutendo di unimpresa titanica, ma è comunque mia ferma intenzione quella di assegnare la palma di miglior brano a Decline, mastodontico tour de force (13 minuti) che racchiude al suo interno tutte le caratteristiche vincenti di questo album.
Giovani e di belle speranze, i Secrets of The Sky hanno quindi le qualità che servono per emergere... al contrario della bambina immortalata nellartwork: quella, temo, difficilmente ce la farà.
Perdonate la battuta macabra (e brutta) e concentratevi su aspetti meno faceti: To Sail Black Waters è un esordio impressionante, che non mancherà di deliziare gli amanti del doom più cerebrale ed eclettico e che dimostra come una band californiana possa trattare di temi marittimi in modo tutt'altro che spensierato." [Marco Caforio]
Link:
http://www.metal.it/album.aspx/21760/14566/secrets-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters/
"Debutto a dir poco interessante quello dei Secrets of the Sky, band di Oakland saggiamente messa sotto contratto dalla nostrana Kolony Records. Il loro To Sail Black Waters si compone di soli quattro brani, che tuttavia sforano i 41 minuti complessivi, ed è riuscito a conquistarmi grazie alla sua originalità e alla perizia con cui è stato composto e arrangiato. Trattandosi di band alle prime armi, stupisce il tasso di maturità dimostrato, così come la cura maniacale per i dettagli.
Bella forza! potrebbe controbattere qualcuno di voi, dal momento che i sei musicisti a stelle e strisce si sono trincerati per ben otto (!) mesi nei Trident Studios di Juan Urteaga, rinomato producer che può vantare collaborazioni, ex pluribus, con Machine Head e Testament.
Insomma, si può senzaltro sostenere che i nostri abbiano avuto tempo e modo per affinare le composizioni, potendo contare su risorse che la stragrande maggioranza delle band esordienti si sogna. Ma quel che importa, al di là delle premesse, è il risultato finale, e io trovo che sotto tale profilo ci si possa dichiarare ampiamente soddisfatti.
Inquadrare la proposta del gruppo non è facile, poiché molteplici sono le influenze rinvenibili fra i solchi del disco: di base, abbiamo a che fare con una band di progressive doom atmosferico, che attinge altresì dal calderone del death melodico e da quello del black, così come si possono udire qua e là le dissonanti digressioni tipiche di bands come gli Isis. Il tutto suona coeso e omogeneo grazie al feeling delle composizioni che, come la bella copertina suggerisce, spingono incessantemente lascoltatore nelle più buie profondità degli abissi marini. I Secrets of the Sky infatti riescono, grazie a soluzioni soffocanti e solenni al tempo stesso, a farci provare il senso di angoscioso ottenebramento proprio di chi si trovi senzaria e senza luce, sconfitto dalle gelide acque oceaniche.
Importante rimarcare, a questo punto, come simile risultato venga raggiunto in modo sottile, deliberato, con un certosino dosaggio di fasi acustiche, riff lenti quanto malevoli e parentesi atmosferiche. Insomma, il combo americano ha lavorato sodo anche in sede di songwriting, e lo sforzo è stato ripagato.
Sarà necessario, tuttavia, pazientare qualche ascolto per decriptare appieno le complesse canzoni, che difficilmente scelgono lo scontro frontale ma che più facilmente optano per un approccio meditabondo, erratico, ad una prima analisi anche dispersivo. Già a partire dal terzo/quarto passaggio del cd sul lettore, tuttavia, vi accorgerete che i continui cambi hanno un senso ben preciso, e rendono lesperienza uditiva sempre stimolante.
Senza dubbio lodevole la prestazione dei musicisti coinvolti; spendo una parola in più per il singer Garret Gazay, che spazia senza apparente affanno dal growling più cavernoso allo screaming, dalle clean vocals (che mi hanno ricordato quelle di Ed Gibbs degli ottimi Devil Sold His Soul) alle parti giocate su registri bassi(ssimi) alla Pete Steele Complimenti.
Visto che i pezzi presenti in tracklist, come già specificato, sono solo quattro, non si sta certo discutendo di unimpresa titanica, ma è comunque mia ferma intenzione quella di assegnare la palma di miglior brano a Decline, mastodontico tour de force (13 minuti) che racchiude al suo interno tutte le caratteristiche vincenti di questo album.
Giovani e di belle speranze, i Secrets of The Sky hanno quindi le qualità che servono per emergere... al contrario della bambina immortalata nellartwork: quella, temo, difficilmente ce la farà.
Perdonate la battuta macabra (e brutta) e concentratevi su aspetti meno faceti: To Sail Black Waters è un esordio impressionante, che non mancherà di deliziare gli amanti del doom più cerebrale ed eclettico e che dimostra come una band californiana possa trattare di temi marittimi in modo tutt'altro che spensierato." [Marco Caforio]
Link:
http://www.metal.it/album.aspx/21760/14566/secrets-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters/
9/10 on the current issue (#109) of Decibel Magazine!
Link:
http://www.decibelmagazine.com/magazine/in-solitude-109-november-2013/
Link:
http://www.decibelmagazine.com/magazine/in-solitude-109-november-2013/
9 out of 10 @ Ave Noctum webzine!
"Most debut albums tend to be rough-and-ready and recorded in a day by the lead singers dodgy Uncle Frank who happens to own a beat-up old eight-track. Well, perhaps not quite that punk, but they do usually veer towards being more of a bish-bash-bosh affair they certainly dont usually take eight months to record and emerge with the kind of sprawling, cinematic layering that To Sail Black Waters features three cheers for engineer / producer Juan Urteagas (Testament, Machine Head) patience and perseverance. But then everything about Secrets Of The Sky is unusual.
They hail from Oakland, California yet have been signed by Italian record label Kolony Records who have been specialising in recruiting lost souls since 2008″ (their roster includes artists based in far-flung fields such as Australia, Andorra and Jordan). SOTS consist of six members, half of whom contribute with multiple instruments their lead vocalist, for instance, also plays keyboards and violin. Most mind-boggling of all is the music itself which draws on a wide range of inspirations and still manages to intricately weave these genres together to create something truly fresh and exciting.
Best described as an atmospheric, doomy, subversively black, richly progressive and bollock-janglingly heavy metal band, they mostly meander across the exploratory black paths of Enslaved and Ihsahn but dont seem afraid to thread unusual sonic touches that evoke the output of artists like Vangelis, Giorgio Moroder, Cult Of Luna, Isis, Opeth and Agalloch. The monstrously huge and intricately-layered production is ocean-deep and rich with the multi-part vocals proving the vital finishing touches. Its a rare thing to find 5 different forms of vocal attack yet here Garett Gazay treats us to his room-shaking roar, a gravel-toned scathing, an emotion-tugging clean and a menacing whisper. The fifth comes completely out of the blue a haunting crystalline chanting; an emotional clarion call that will draw tears.
Wading through we get an Echo Beach-riff and an oblique Machine Head-esque lick that both shake up the stormy wilderness of Winter. A crushing triple-guitar death rattle opens Decline but this soon shifts into a strong folky vocal sequence. Constantly shifting, its not long before we get a burst of something wholly more epic, almost Bladerunner-esque, as a proggy twin-synth set kicks in. Elsewhere, we get the hearty dark tones of Sunrise, a pitch black doom skewed by a switch-up into a softer shoegaze motif.
Star of the show is the 11-minute Black Waters. With a title like that how could you not expect to hear Opeth in this, yet here Secrets Of The Sky fearlessly dive into their subject matter of death with real abandon and without restriction. A whispered vocal over plinking minor chords gently pad their way into what turns out to be a dangerously-deep groove necks will snap. This is the belly of the beast and it will grip you like a vice, carving you open for that heart-wrenching finish.
With surprises at every turn youll continually find yourself expecting this wildly original album to jar you by twisting the knife too much and yet these four songs, no more are needed, flow like a dream, drawing you further and further below the surface. It is a debut like no other and marks these Californians out as real forgotten heroes. They may have slipped through the major label net the first time but that wont happen again now that this behemoth of a record is finally ready to drop." [John Skibeat]
Link:
http://www.avenoctum.com/2013/10/secrets-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters-kolony-records/
"Most debut albums tend to be rough-and-ready and recorded in a day by the lead singers dodgy Uncle Frank who happens to own a beat-up old eight-track. Well, perhaps not quite that punk, but they do usually veer towards being more of a bish-bash-bosh affair they certainly dont usually take eight months to record and emerge with the kind of sprawling, cinematic layering that To Sail Black Waters features three cheers for engineer / producer Juan Urteagas (Testament, Machine Head) patience and perseverance. But then everything about Secrets Of The Sky is unusual.
They hail from Oakland, California yet have been signed by Italian record label Kolony Records who have been specialising in recruiting lost souls since 2008″ (their roster includes artists based in far-flung fields such as Australia, Andorra and Jordan). SOTS consist of six members, half of whom contribute with multiple instruments their lead vocalist, for instance, also plays keyboards and violin. Most mind-boggling of all is the music itself which draws on a wide range of inspirations and still manages to intricately weave these genres together to create something truly fresh and exciting.
Best described as an atmospheric, doomy, subversively black, richly progressive and bollock-janglingly heavy metal band, they mostly meander across the exploratory black paths of Enslaved and Ihsahn but dont seem afraid to thread unusual sonic touches that evoke the output of artists like Vangelis, Giorgio Moroder, Cult Of Luna, Isis, Opeth and Agalloch. The monstrously huge and intricately-layered production is ocean-deep and rich with the multi-part vocals proving the vital finishing touches. Its a rare thing to find 5 different forms of vocal attack yet here Garett Gazay treats us to his room-shaking roar, a gravel-toned scathing, an emotion-tugging clean and a menacing whisper. The fifth comes completely out of the blue a haunting crystalline chanting; an emotional clarion call that will draw tears.
Wading through we get an Echo Beach-riff and an oblique Machine Head-esque lick that both shake up the stormy wilderness of Winter. A crushing triple-guitar death rattle opens Decline but this soon shifts into a strong folky vocal sequence. Constantly shifting, its not long before we get a burst of something wholly more epic, almost Bladerunner-esque, as a proggy twin-synth set kicks in. Elsewhere, we get the hearty dark tones of Sunrise, a pitch black doom skewed by a switch-up into a softer shoegaze motif.
Star of the show is the 11-minute Black Waters. With a title like that how could you not expect to hear Opeth in this, yet here Secrets Of The Sky fearlessly dive into their subject matter of death with real abandon and without restriction. A whispered vocal over plinking minor chords gently pad their way into what turns out to be a dangerously-deep groove necks will snap. This is the belly of the beast and it will grip you like a vice, carving you open for that heart-wrenching finish.
With surprises at every turn youll continually find yourself expecting this wildly original album to jar you by twisting the knife too much and yet these four songs, no more are needed, flow like a dream, drawing you further and further below the surface. It is a debut like no other and marks these Californians out as real forgotten heroes. They may have slipped through the major label net the first time but that wont happen again now that this behemoth of a record is finally ready to drop." [John Skibeat]
Link:
http://www.avenoctum.com/2013/10/secrets-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters-kolony-records/
4,5 out of 6 @ Eternal Terror webzine!
"Expanding the horizons of a number of genres, Secrets Of The Sky is an Oakland, California sextet with at times three guitarists and three keyboardists creating an experimental progressive/black/doom sound on their debut album "To Sail Black Waters". Normally four songs would place this effort into the EP column- but when 2 of the tracks crawl over the 11 minute mark and your shortest construction "Sunrise" clocks in at a meager 7:43, it's safe to say the band place plenty of atmosphere and thought behind these arrangements.
The band blends together waves of crushing heaviness against passages with remarkable taste and restraint. Patience will be a virtue taking in the 12:45 "Decline"- the opening segments very post-metal/ doom oriented as Garett Gazay's vocals come from an extreme black metal place, giving way to this clean melodic contrast as the keyboards swim to shore. The acoustic guitar work around 3:18-4:38 gives way to another doom burst, the lead break carefully placed to not disturb the slow momentum, and you'll even get a dual guitar harmony element that reaches into the Iron Maiden / Slough Feg catalog.
Opeth, Isis, and The Ocean will come up the most in comparison's sake- but that would do Secrets of the Sky a great disservice. "To Sail Black Waters" is only the beginning of what I predict could be a healthy and influential career. These six musicians use the tools of their trade for the greater good- experimentation, atmospheric exploration, and a firm understanding of when you need to build up notes/ riffs and when you need to just let things breathe.
The Bay Area isn't just known for thrash- Secrets of the Sky wish to put progressive, atmospheric doom with post-metal/black influences on everyone's listening plate." [Matt Coe]
Link:
http://www.eternal-terror.com/reviews/index.php?id=3473&type=B
"Expanding the horizons of a number of genres, Secrets Of The Sky is an Oakland, California sextet with at times three guitarists and three keyboardists creating an experimental progressive/black/doom sound on their debut album "To Sail Black Waters". Normally four songs would place this effort into the EP column- but when 2 of the tracks crawl over the 11 minute mark and your shortest construction "Sunrise" clocks in at a meager 7:43, it's safe to say the band place plenty of atmosphere and thought behind these arrangements.
The band blends together waves of crushing heaviness against passages with remarkable taste and restraint. Patience will be a virtue taking in the 12:45 "Decline"- the opening segments very post-metal/ doom oriented as Garett Gazay's vocals come from an extreme black metal place, giving way to this clean melodic contrast as the keyboards swim to shore. The acoustic guitar work around 3:18-4:38 gives way to another doom burst, the lead break carefully placed to not disturb the slow momentum, and you'll even get a dual guitar harmony element that reaches into the Iron Maiden / Slough Feg catalog.
Opeth, Isis, and The Ocean will come up the most in comparison's sake- but that would do Secrets of the Sky a great disservice. "To Sail Black Waters" is only the beginning of what I predict could be a healthy and influential career. These six musicians use the tools of their trade for the greater good- experimentation, atmospheric exploration, and a firm understanding of when you need to build up notes/ riffs and when you need to just let things breathe.
The Bay Area isn't just known for thrash- Secrets of the Sky wish to put progressive, atmospheric doom with post-metal/black influences on everyone's listening plate." [Matt Coe]
Link:
http://www.eternal-terror.com/reviews/index.php?id=3473&type=B
7,5/10 @ Metallus.it!
"Generalmente le definizioni utilizzate dalle label sono soltanto iperbolici claim commerciali, con poche fondamenta nella realtà, ma nel caso dei Secrets Of The Sky, progressive black doom è unetichetta invero piuttosto funzionale.
Il sestetto californiano, al debutto con To Sail Black Waters sulla nostrana Kolony Records, presenta infatti un articolato e complesso bouquet musicale, che trova il suo comune denominatore in oscure ed epiche atmosfere doom, opportunamente affiancate da unattitudine di ricerca molto post (metal, core, rock ). Ne risulta un sound obliquo, che ricorda a tratti The Ocean, Opeth, Cobalt e Agalloch, band diversissime, ma accomunate da una certa progressiva cinematicità di fondo, opportunamente declinata in chiave doom, death o black.
Nei Secrets Of The Sky tutte queste coordinate trovano spazio ed espressione, in un disco che si dipana attraverso quattro lunghe tracce, che, come altrettante suite, dipingono vasti scorci ad alta valenza atmosferica e narrativa, come nella più classica tradizione prog.
I ragazzi di Oakland, grazie a un parco strumenti che consta di ben tre chitarre e tre tastiere, oltre a basso e batteria, sono artefici di una tessitura ritmica e melodica fitta e strutturata, che si dipana, senza sostanziale soluzione di continuità, lungo tutta la durata dellalbum. To Sail Black Waters è un titolo quanto mai programmatico, un vero invito a salpare per un viaggio su acque oscure e incognite, guidati solamente dalle aspre e istrioniche vocals di Garett Gazay, per unesperienza dascolto intensa ed epica, con davvero pochi paragoni nella contemporanea scena estrema.
Un disco e una band formalmente ineccepibili, artisticamente dalto profilo, il cui ascolto è dunque altamente consigliato a tutti gli appassionati delle sonorità a vario titolo estreme." [Alekos Capelli]
Link:
http://www.metallus.it/recensioni/to-sail-black-waters/
"Generalmente le definizioni utilizzate dalle label sono soltanto iperbolici claim commerciali, con poche fondamenta nella realtà, ma nel caso dei Secrets Of The Sky, progressive black doom è unetichetta invero piuttosto funzionale.
Il sestetto californiano, al debutto con To Sail Black Waters sulla nostrana Kolony Records, presenta infatti un articolato e complesso bouquet musicale, che trova il suo comune denominatore in oscure ed epiche atmosfere doom, opportunamente affiancate da unattitudine di ricerca molto post (metal, core, rock ). Ne risulta un sound obliquo, che ricorda a tratti The Ocean, Opeth, Cobalt e Agalloch, band diversissime, ma accomunate da una certa progressiva cinematicità di fondo, opportunamente declinata in chiave doom, death o black.
Nei Secrets Of The Sky tutte queste coordinate trovano spazio ed espressione, in un disco che si dipana attraverso quattro lunghe tracce, che, come altrettante suite, dipingono vasti scorci ad alta valenza atmosferica e narrativa, come nella più classica tradizione prog.
I ragazzi di Oakland, grazie a un parco strumenti che consta di ben tre chitarre e tre tastiere, oltre a basso e batteria, sono artefici di una tessitura ritmica e melodica fitta e strutturata, che si dipana, senza sostanziale soluzione di continuità, lungo tutta la durata dellalbum. To Sail Black Waters è un titolo quanto mai programmatico, un vero invito a salpare per un viaggio su acque oscure e incognite, guidati solamente dalle aspre e istrioniche vocals di Garett Gazay, per unesperienza dascolto intensa ed epica, con davvero pochi paragoni nella contemporanea scena estrema.
Un disco e una band formalmente ineccepibili, artisticamente dalto profilo, il cui ascolto è dunque altamente consigliato a tutti gli appassionati delle sonorità a vario titolo estreme." [Alekos Capelli]
Link:
http://www.metallus.it/recensioni/to-sail-black-waters/
Review @ Wicked Channel webzine!
"Oakland, California’s Secrets of the Sky makes a splash onto the metal scene with their debut full-length release “To Sail Black Waters.” Containing only 4 tracks, the album still runs approximately 40 minutes with the tracks ranging in running time from almost 8 minutes to almost 13 minutes.
Secrets of the Sky leans towards the doom metal side of the spectrum, but are far more than just another doom metal band. Garret Gazay’s vocals have many blackened influences as so some of the riffs found on this release. The majority of the six-piece band’s members play multiple instruments on this release, so you will hear twin keyboards playing or three guitar tracks in certain tracks.
The album opens with Winter, which is aptly titled due to the icy atmosphere that it sets for the remainder of the album. The opening track is raw when it needs to be and bright and clear in other elements.
Decline introduces clean vocals into the mix with an almost gothic feel to them. The mixture of the raspy, guttural shouts and the clean vocals play off of each other very well on Decline.
Sunrise opens with an utterly dirty, doom metal riff into a clean sound with whispered vocals until the track fully elevates to a dismal, evil track that sits perfectly in the layout of the album’s tracks. Black Water clocks in at 11:22 and hits varying styles throughout its lengthy play.
Overall, Secrets of the Sky’s “To Sail Black Waters” is a pretty successful debut and is very progressive in a lot of ways with its sound. It makes for a nice afternoon listen when you want to immerse yourself into some deep, dark metal. I am more of a fan of the first two tracks then the latter two, but, in total, the album works very well." [Mike]
Link:
http://wickedchannel.com/2013/09/metal-review-secrets-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters-2013/
"Oakland, California’s Secrets of the Sky makes a splash onto the metal scene with their debut full-length release “To Sail Black Waters.” Containing only 4 tracks, the album still runs approximately 40 minutes with the tracks ranging in running time from almost 8 minutes to almost 13 minutes.
Secrets of the Sky leans towards the doom metal side of the spectrum, but are far more than just another doom metal band. Garret Gazay’s vocals have many blackened influences as so some of the riffs found on this release. The majority of the six-piece band’s members play multiple instruments on this release, so you will hear twin keyboards playing or three guitar tracks in certain tracks.
The album opens with Winter, which is aptly titled due to the icy atmosphere that it sets for the remainder of the album. The opening track is raw when it needs to be and bright and clear in other elements.
Decline introduces clean vocals into the mix with an almost gothic feel to them. The mixture of the raspy, guttural shouts and the clean vocals play off of each other very well on Decline.
Sunrise opens with an utterly dirty, doom metal riff into a clean sound with whispered vocals until the track fully elevates to a dismal, evil track that sits perfectly in the layout of the album’s tracks. Black Water clocks in at 11:22 and hits varying styles throughout its lengthy play.
Overall, Secrets of the Sky’s “To Sail Black Waters” is a pretty successful debut and is very progressive in a lot of ways with its sound. It makes for a nice afternoon listen when you want to immerse yourself into some deep, dark metal. I am more of a fan of the first two tracks then the latter two, but, in total, the album works very well." [Mike]
Link:
http://wickedchannel.com/2013/09/metal-review-secrets-of-the-sky-to-sail-black-waters-2013/
Musikreviews.de rated 'To Sail Black Waters' 11 out fo 15 points!
"Schwere. Weite. Verzweiflung. Wollte man To Sail Black Waters, das Debüt der Kalifornier SECRETS OF THE SKY, auf drei Schlagwörter reduzieren, wären es genau diese. To Sail Black Waters ist schwer, verdammt schwer, ein schwer verdaulicher Brocken aus Postrock, Doom und Death Metal, der sich langsam, aber unaufhaltbar den Weg in die Gehörgänge frisst.
Gerade mal vier Tracks bietet das Sextett, doch angesichts einer Gesamtspielzeit von über 40 Minuten ist klar: Alltäglich ist das nicht, was hier passiert. Bis zu drei Gitarren und zwei Keyboards sorgen parallel für eine ausgesprochen dichte Atmosphäre; und auch wenn sich die vier Tracks, von denen keiner kürzer als knapp acht Minuten ist, weitgehend im langsamen und zäh fließendem Tempo bewegen: Langeweile macht sich hier nicht breit.
Dennoch, und das ist ausnahmslos positiv gemeint, nimmt sich der Newcomer ausgesprochen viel Zeit, um seine Songs wirken zu lassen. AGALLOCH oder OPETH mögen als grobe Anhaltspunkte herhalten, wobei man den ebenso ausschweifenden wie schlichtweg aussichtslos wirkenden Sound bei weitem nicht voll zutreffend beschrieben hat. Sänger Garett Gazay bewegt sich stimmlich häufig auf Death-Metal-Spuren, kann aber neben den tiefen Growls auch ebenso cleane Vocals überzeugend einstreuen. Die Gitarren hängen sich entsprechend an des Sängers Fersen, kreieren gemeinsam mit den Keyboards eine unheilvolle Stimmung, die nur selten von hellen Lichtblicken durchdrungen wird.
FAZIT: Nein, leicht verdaulich ist hier nichts, einen Hit sucht man ebenso vergeblich wie Unbeschwertheit oder gar Fröhlichkeit. To Sail Black Waters ist ein echter Batzen aus Doom, Death und Postrock, ungewöhnlich bis ins Letzte und sicherlich nur für einen kleinen, eingeschworenen Kreis interessant. Die dürften das SECRETS-OF-The-SKY-Debüt aber dafür umso mehr abgöttisch lieben." [Lothar Hausfeld]
Link:
http://www.musikreviews.de/reviews/2013/Secrets-Of-The-Sky/To-Sail-Black-Waters/
"Schwere. Weite. Verzweiflung. Wollte man To Sail Black Waters, das Debüt der Kalifornier SECRETS OF THE SKY, auf drei Schlagwörter reduzieren, wären es genau diese. To Sail Black Waters ist schwer, verdammt schwer, ein schwer verdaulicher Brocken aus Postrock, Doom und Death Metal, der sich langsam, aber unaufhaltbar den Weg in die Gehörgänge frisst.
Gerade mal vier Tracks bietet das Sextett, doch angesichts einer Gesamtspielzeit von über 40 Minuten ist klar: Alltäglich ist das nicht, was hier passiert. Bis zu drei Gitarren und zwei Keyboards sorgen parallel für eine ausgesprochen dichte Atmosphäre; und auch wenn sich die vier Tracks, von denen keiner kürzer als knapp acht Minuten ist, weitgehend im langsamen und zäh fließendem Tempo bewegen: Langeweile macht sich hier nicht breit.
Dennoch, und das ist ausnahmslos positiv gemeint, nimmt sich der Newcomer ausgesprochen viel Zeit, um seine Songs wirken zu lassen. AGALLOCH oder OPETH mögen als grobe Anhaltspunkte herhalten, wobei man den ebenso ausschweifenden wie schlichtweg aussichtslos wirkenden Sound bei weitem nicht voll zutreffend beschrieben hat. Sänger Garett Gazay bewegt sich stimmlich häufig auf Death-Metal-Spuren, kann aber neben den tiefen Growls auch ebenso cleane Vocals überzeugend einstreuen. Die Gitarren hängen sich entsprechend an des Sängers Fersen, kreieren gemeinsam mit den Keyboards eine unheilvolle Stimmung, die nur selten von hellen Lichtblicken durchdrungen wird.
FAZIT: Nein, leicht verdaulich ist hier nichts, einen Hit sucht man ebenso vergeblich wie Unbeschwertheit oder gar Fröhlichkeit. To Sail Black Waters ist ein echter Batzen aus Doom, Death und Postrock, ungewöhnlich bis ins Letzte und sicherlich nur für einen kleinen, eingeschworenen Kreis interessant. Die dürften das SECRETS-OF-The-SKY-Debüt aber dafür umso mehr abgöttisch lieben." [Lothar Hausfeld]
Link:
http://www.musikreviews.de/reviews/2013/Secrets-Of-The-Sky/To-Sail-Black-Waters/
78/100 @ Lords Of Metal! :Smokin:
"It is well-known that one should not judge a book by its cover. That also applies to judging a band by its band name. When I saw the name Secrets Of The Sky my immediate thought was that Id be dealing with a whining metalcore combo. But, thank God, nothing is further from the truth. What Secrets Of The Sky serves us with the four song album To Sail Black Waters is a mix of doom, black, progressive metal, sludge which I will classify, for convenience sake, under the tag of doom. Musically its an interesting mix which comes across quite cinematic and atmospheric. The sparingly employed clean vocals alternate well with the black vocals and fit well within the parts where they are employed and they enhance the tension. The few samples somehow vaguely remind me of Argentinian band Fungoid Stream even though never does Secrets Of The Sky go down the path of ambient funeral doom which is well-trodden by the Argentinians. Given the fact that this is a debut album I am really looking forward to how Secrets Of The Sky will develop. With this mix of music they could go any way theyd want to. We shall see. But until next time I will be content with To Sail Black Waters." [Marcel H.]
Link:
http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/en/reviews/view/id/25536
:Smokin:"It is well-known that one should not judge a book by its cover. That also applies to judging a band by its band name. When I saw the name Secrets Of The Sky my immediate thought was that Id be dealing with a whining metalcore combo. But, thank God, nothing is further from the truth. What Secrets Of The Sky serves us with the four song album To Sail Black Waters is a mix of doom, black, progressive metal, sludge which I will classify, for convenience sake, under the tag of doom. Musically its an interesting mix which comes across quite cinematic and atmospheric. The sparingly employed clean vocals alternate well with the black vocals and fit well within the parts where they are employed and they enhance the tension. The few samples somehow vaguely remind me of Argentinian band Fungoid Stream even though never does Secrets Of The Sky go down the path of ambient funeral doom which is well-trodden by the Argentinians. Given the fact that this is a debut album I am really looking forward to how Secrets Of The Sky will develop. With this mix of music they could go any way theyd want to. We shall see. But until next time I will be content with To Sail Black Waters." [Marcel H.]
Link:
http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/en/reviews/view/id/25536
8,5/10 @ Time For Metal webzine!
"Nein, das ist kein Fehler: Die Debütplatte des Sextetts Secrets Of The Sky hat wirklich nur vier Songs und ist auch ganz ehrlich über vierzig Minuten lang. Noch bin ich beim Drücken auf den Playbutton doch sehr skeptisch, denn lange Lieder sind zumeist eher kommerziell unbrauchbar bzw. verkaufen sich schlechter, da der Wiedererkennungswert häufig darunter leidet, dass man in den sieben bis dreizehn Minuten langen Songs mit Inhalten einfach nur überladen wird – nicht ohne Grund haben die Standard-Hits nur eine Spielzeit, die sich zwischen drei und vier Minuten beläuft. Ob dieses Problem bei den vier Songs des Albums Sail To Black Waters zum Tragen kommt, werde ich wohl innerhalb der kommenden Stunde erfahren.
Den Anfang macht Winter, das Lied, das dem Genre Doom Metal durch seinen schleppenden Klang alle Ehre macht. Doch wird dem Höhrer in den ersten neun Minuten alles andere als langweilig, denn durch häufige Wechsel durch Sänger Garett Gazay, der sowohl gekonnt in Death Metal-Manier shoutet, als auch durch seine klare und sehr ruhig wirkende Stimme zu überzeugen weiß sowie durch die sehr abwechslungsreichen Melodiebögen ist hier alles Andere als die Eintönigkeit persönlich am Werk.
Das Tempo ebenso wie die Atmosphäre sind auf Sail To Black Waters wie ein roter Faden, der die Genre-Elemente, wie z.B. die depressiv-tiefen Gitarrenriffs und die passend eingefädelten klaren Gitarrenparts gekonnt zusammenhält. Doch das, was ich zuerst vermutet habe, tritt leider zum Teil auf, denn auch wenn ich denke, dass Secrets Of The Sky keinesfalls vorhatten, einen Song mit Hitcharakter zu produzieren, wird der einfache Hörer wahrscheinlich mit der Abwechslung und der Masse der Lieder selbst ein wenig überfordert sein. Doch immerhin gelingt es den sechs US-Amerikanern, dass man sich zurücklehnt und ins Nachdenken gerät.
Fazit: So enden vier Songs nach nun fast einundvierzig Minuten. Was bleibt, ist ein sehr positiver Nachgeschmack von Salz und Melancholie, denn das Kopfkino, was die Musiker dem Hörer ins Gehirn brennen, sorgt dafür, dass aus dem Cover eindeutig bewegte Bilder werden. Das Thema mit dem „Hitcharakter“ ist bei einem Konzeptalbum wie diesem alles andere als passend, denn dadurch, dass Doom Metal, wie auch das Konzept nicht ganz einfach zu verdauen sind und manchen Hörern zu nahe gehen, wird es wohl immer Leute geben, die dieses Genre nicht mögen. Aber ganz ehrlich, was soll es – Sail To Black Waters ist für Fans des Genres mehr als nur ein Kauftipp." [Cyras]
Link:
http://www.time-for-metal.eu/include.php?path=article&contentid=11749
"Nein, das ist kein Fehler: Die Debütplatte des Sextetts Secrets Of The Sky hat wirklich nur vier Songs und ist auch ganz ehrlich über vierzig Minuten lang. Noch bin ich beim Drücken auf den Playbutton doch sehr skeptisch, denn lange Lieder sind zumeist eher kommerziell unbrauchbar bzw. verkaufen sich schlechter, da der Wiedererkennungswert häufig darunter leidet, dass man in den sieben bis dreizehn Minuten langen Songs mit Inhalten einfach nur überladen wird – nicht ohne Grund haben die Standard-Hits nur eine Spielzeit, die sich zwischen drei und vier Minuten beläuft. Ob dieses Problem bei den vier Songs des Albums Sail To Black Waters zum Tragen kommt, werde ich wohl innerhalb der kommenden Stunde erfahren.
Den Anfang macht Winter, das Lied, das dem Genre Doom Metal durch seinen schleppenden Klang alle Ehre macht. Doch wird dem Höhrer in den ersten neun Minuten alles andere als langweilig, denn durch häufige Wechsel durch Sänger Garett Gazay, der sowohl gekonnt in Death Metal-Manier shoutet, als auch durch seine klare und sehr ruhig wirkende Stimme zu überzeugen weiß sowie durch die sehr abwechslungsreichen Melodiebögen ist hier alles Andere als die Eintönigkeit persönlich am Werk.
Das Tempo ebenso wie die Atmosphäre sind auf Sail To Black Waters wie ein roter Faden, der die Genre-Elemente, wie z.B. die depressiv-tiefen Gitarrenriffs und die passend eingefädelten klaren Gitarrenparts gekonnt zusammenhält. Doch das, was ich zuerst vermutet habe, tritt leider zum Teil auf, denn auch wenn ich denke, dass Secrets Of The Sky keinesfalls vorhatten, einen Song mit Hitcharakter zu produzieren, wird der einfache Hörer wahrscheinlich mit der Abwechslung und der Masse der Lieder selbst ein wenig überfordert sein. Doch immerhin gelingt es den sechs US-Amerikanern, dass man sich zurücklehnt und ins Nachdenken gerät.
Fazit: So enden vier Songs nach nun fast einundvierzig Minuten. Was bleibt, ist ein sehr positiver Nachgeschmack von Salz und Melancholie, denn das Kopfkino, was die Musiker dem Hörer ins Gehirn brennen, sorgt dafür, dass aus dem Cover eindeutig bewegte Bilder werden. Das Thema mit dem „Hitcharakter“ ist bei einem Konzeptalbum wie diesem alles andere als passend, denn dadurch, dass Doom Metal, wie auch das Konzept nicht ganz einfach zu verdauen sind und manchen Hörern zu nahe gehen, wird es wohl immer Leute geben, die dieses Genre nicht mögen. Aber ganz ehrlich, was soll es – Sail To Black Waters ist für Fans des Genres mehr als nur ein Kauftipp." [Cyras]
Link:
http://www.time-for-metal.eu/include.php?path=article&contentid=11749
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