While Heaven Wept - Of Empires Forlorn
2003 - Rage Of Achilles Records
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Rage Of Achilles Records website.
Epic doom metal in the vein of Solitude Aeturnus, albeit with an abundance of keyboards that gives an almost AOR-like feel to the tracks, and vocals that recall Helloween's Michael Kiske at his peak... the description makes this record sound like the aftermath of some musical motorway pile-up, but then this was released by the ever-reliable Rage Of Achilles label, so you can safely assume that there's at least something worth checking out in all of this...
And thus, it turns out that While Heaven Wept are an incredibly impressive band, taking epic doom metal into hitherto uncharted territories without sacrificing the tenets of the bands that typify the genre. The air of melancholy and depression is still as thick as Scotch mist, and the monolithic guitar riffs still bludgeon in a My Dying Bride/Candlemass stylee, but the vocals evoke a more sublime ambience - in fact, the album occasionally sounds like a doom metal reworking of Tubular Bells, where the relentlessly downbeat, crawling pace takes on a melodicism and strangely uplifiting feel all of its own.
Generally the work of one man, Tom Phillips, but completed with the aid of the likes of Jason Gray on drums, the production services of (Assembly Line Studios owner) Kevin 131, and the keyboard, bass and lead guitar services of Jake Bodner, Jim Hunter and Scott Loose respectively. The production is massive, almost reminiscent of Devin Townsend's signature sound, balancing massive riffs and clear drumming with choral-quality keyboards, and the songs are all impressively played and brilliantly composed.
Doom fans still awaiting the return of Candlemass have something new to tide them over...
9/10
2003 - Rage Of Achilles Records
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Rage Of Achilles Records website.
Epic doom metal in the vein of Solitude Aeturnus, albeit with an abundance of keyboards that gives an almost AOR-like feel to the tracks, and vocals that recall Helloween's Michael Kiske at his peak... the description makes this record sound like the aftermath of some musical motorway pile-up, but then this was released by the ever-reliable Rage Of Achilles label, so you can safely assume that there's at least something worth checking out in all of this...
And thus, it turns out that While Heaven Wept are an incredibly impressive band, taking epic doom metal into hitherto uncharted territories without sacrificing the tenets of the bands that typify the genre. The air of melancholy and depression is still as thick as Scotch mist, and the monolithic guitar riffs still bludgeon in a My Dying Bride/Candlemass stylee, but the vocals evoke a more sublime ambience - in fact, the album occasionally sounds like a doom metal reworking of Tubular Bells, where the relentlessly downbeat, crawling pace takes on a melodicism and strangely uplifiting feel all of its own.
Generally the work of one man, Tom Phillips, but completed with the aid of the likes of Jason Gray on drums, the production services of (Assembly Line Studios owner) Kevin 131, and the keyboard, bass and lead guitar services of Jake Bodner, Jim Hunter and Scott Loose respectively. The production is massive, almost reminiscent of Devin Townsend's signature sound, balancing massive riffs and clear drumming with choral-quality keyboards, and the songs are all impressively played and brilliantly composed.
Doom fans still awaiting the return of Candlemass have something new to tide them over...
9/10
