Yyrkoon- Unhealthy Opera
Osmose Productions – OPCD177 – 01/03/06
By Sam Brokenshaw
Yyrkoon first came to my attention, as with so many others, with their '04 album Occult Medicine. To be frank, it grabbed me by the balls and refused to let go until I assured it that children would never spring from my loins ever again. These french death/thrash loons know how to tear the house down, then urinate on the wreckage. Added to the band making a wise choice and heading to Denmark to record with Jacob Hansen, Occult Medicine was a landmark album within the genre and also for French extreme metal in general. Now, let's do the math. Excellent thrash-tastic riffage, superb production and also a propensity for writing horror concept albums. This equals a rather tasty mix, throw into the stereo, season to taste, and enjoy an audio meal that your friends will never forget!
Unhealthy Opera picks up where Occult Medicine left off, Dirk Verbeuren's departure to be replaced by original drummer Laurent Harrouart hasn't made the blindest bit of difference. In fact the less informed listener could not tell the difference, he pretty much does the exact same thing with the same level of competence. No mean feat when you consider the manifold skills of Mr Dirk. The songs largely follow the same basic patterns, if you've heard Occult Medicine you'll know exactly what you'll be getting. Quality thrash and death metal riffage with a tasteful death metal vocalist, added to some tight as heck drums that never fail to bolster the impact of the songs. The interludes on Unhealthy Opera differ from Occult Medicine in that the former album had some eerie synth washes more akin to a horror score, whereas on this album Yyrkoon have chosen to go for some eerie acoustic guitar etudes that really work to give the listener some respite but never destroy the great flow this album has. This album has absolutely zero duff tracks, standing as a monument to consistency in quality. Pretty much every fan of extreme metal will probably find something they like here, be it the more progressive tendencies of the interludes to the straight ahead ravening obliteration of the listener by the main body of work on offer. Miss out at your peril, the band will probably summon K'thulu to sort you out, being the Lovescraftian types that they are.
8.5/10
UM’s Review Rating Scale
Yyrkoon Website
Osmose Productions Website
Osmose Productions – OPCD177 – 01/03/06
By Sam Brokenshaw
Yyrkoon first came to my attention, as with so many others, with their '04 album Occult Medicine. To be frank, it grabbed me by the balls and refused to let go until I assured it that children would never spring from my loins ever again. These french death/thrash loons know how to tear the house down, then urinate on the wreckage. Added to the band making a wise choice and heading to Denmark to record with Jacob Hansen, Occult Medicine was a landmark album within the genre and also for French extreme metal in general. Now, let's do the math. Excellent thrash-tastic riffage, superb production and also a propensity for writing horror concept albums. This equals a rather tasty mix, throw into the stereo, season to taste, and enjoy an audio meal that your friends will never forget!
Unhealthy Opera picks up where Occult Medicine left off, Dirk Verbeuren's departure to be replaced by original drummer Laurent Harrouart hasn't made the blindest bit of difference. In fact the less informed listener could not tell the difference, he pretty much does the exact same thing with the same level of competence. No mean feat when you consider the manifold skills of Mr Dirk. The songs largely follow the same basic patterns, if you've heard Occult Medicine you'll know exactly what you'll be getting. Quality thrash and death metal riffage with a tasteful death metal vocalist, added to some tight as heck drums that never fail to bolster the impact of the songs. The interludes on Unhealthy Opera differ from Occult Medicine in that the former album had some eerie synth washes more akin to a horror score, whereas on this album Yyrkoon have chosen to go for some eerie acoustic guitar etudes that really work to give the listener some respite but never destroy the great flow this album has. This album has absolutely zero duff tracks, standing as a monument to consistency in quality. Pretty much every fan of extreme metal will probably find something they like here, be it the more progressive tendencies of the interludes to the straight ahead ravening obliteration of the listener by the main body of work on offer. Miss out at your peril, the band will probably summon K'thulu to sort you out, being the Lovescraftian types that they are.
8.5/10
UM’s Review Rating Scale
Yyrkoon Website
Osmose Productions Website
