SOLUM MENTE INFIRMIS

Greedmachine - 5:52
An excellent opener if I do say so myself, though in all honesty, I'm getting a bit sick of it after having heard it so many times in it's much less than stellar Real Audio format. But the song still smokes - mostly built around one hell of a caustic riff, it also carries upon its shoulders an awesome, epic chorus (the band really knows how to write these things as you will see), which makes great use of the keyboards. Lyrics are just as impressive - a fictional 'Greedmachine', a creation of the Devil, which feeds off greed derived from us through sex, money, etc. Interesting stuff, to say the least...

Solum Mente Infirmis - 8:23
We-he-hell...if you thought track #1 wasn't exactly the peach you needed to lighten up your mood, welcome to the title track! From a thematic point of view, this is actually in the wrong order (the ending track - 'Fool' should have been in it's place, though if someone was to hear that one so early on, he/she would have smashed the cd up pretty good...or at least took it out and never listened to it again). But whatever - it was also wise to place this track as #2 since it gives you the opportunity to uncover just what road you embarked upon when you purchased this cd - oh, and don't mind me going off tangent here - the song rules!! Having said that, I suppose it's a good idea to explain why, and frankly that's not the easiest thing to do. Well, for one, the track is progressive. In fact it's VERY progressive...despite it's all around heaviness, it has many different sections from the middle on - very diverse sections, but they all work, with nary a flaw - quite reminiscent (in both music and vocals) of Iced Earth during the main verse, the song shifts to a very mysterious, not to mention incredibly well sung, chorus which makes great use of the titular line (and then some); I won't bother describing the other sections, but rest assured, they are tremendously implemented - and it's up to you to discover how; great keyboard work too. Now...the lyrics. As I've said some lines back, this is in actuality 'Fool pt. 2', ergo it continues the story of the insane, mute murderer, and the unfortunate person who sees through his eyes "...they are just flesh and they will rot...yes they will rot...". Mmm yeah. I see we're not in the land of Helloween and Gamma Ray anymore.

Bleeding Within - 5:14
A whole slew of emotions comes through here, as the slow and yearning verse builds up to an intense and emotional chorus. Great use of acoustics and the epic keyboards as well...quite a bit like 'Final Hour' from the new album.

Ground Zero - 6:01
One of the two tracks on the disc that could stand some moderate improvement (discounting Fool, which is way beyond ANYTHING, nevermind improvement...). A somewhat dark-yet-humorous approach to the lyrics (pure Stigmata), and the Stigmata riffage we all know and love...yet something is missing. The groovy verse seems a bit held back for one, and the solo lacks both punch and intensity (although aren't they the same thing??) mainly because it SOUNDS somewhat in the back (perhaps a fault of the production, and not the band). I love the powerful, crushing chorus though...A good song, and I rarely skip it - it just distinguishes itself from most of the other stuff on the album by being slightly weaker.

Sacred Man - 13:09
A dark and brooding masterpiece that truly lets you in on what the band is capable of - this not so much proves some phenomenal song writing skill, rather an ability to mend various, significantly different musical styles into one layered, not to mention extremely long song - and this is what we have here...one could view most of the track as a really absurd mix of (you ready for this?) Load-style Metallica ('Thorn Within', 'Outlaw Torn', 'Until it Sleeps' - these all come to mind) and Zeppelin (or at least one song by them) - the former due to the bass-layered main verse, and the latter due to the use of epic, Middle Eastern synthes, much like Zep's own "Kashmir"; another more obvious Metallica convergence occurs in the whole lyrical theme - Stigmata takes the concept of 'Until it Sleeps', and extends it to an enormous amount. Of course if this was all the song had going for it, it wouldn't be worth mentioning - and I don't think this was the band's intention - so we have two specific sections of the song, and since they're incorporated just SO damn well, the song becomes a classic; you might wonder as to just what these are...so I'll tell you; the refrain (or chorus...whichever) for one; it's epic and yearning as it can possibly get, and the soft piano accompaniments give it an airy and mystic feel...and there's the soft piano/guitar section in the middle - a relaxing yet paranoid moment, which is simply unforgettable. And then there are the ultra abstract solos from there on through the end, which are incredibly enough reminiscent of Rainbow. To sum it up - the song is VERY dark, if Krenmaier is serious about what he's singing, he best don the straight-jacket and commit himself and his 'friend' to one of the many helpful facilities situated around the country...Secondly, as you can see, the song is quite long - it's gonna take a good number of listens to be FULLY heard, and I really can't imagine it not having at least SOME appeal afterwards. I for one absolutely love it, though not on that same level as I would, say, a track off 'Symphony of Enchanted Lands' - the song has set itself apart...far apart from the common metal fare, and as it stands there, proudly alone, one can't help but admire the band for writing such a damn good, original song!

Just a Nautic Tale - 7:28
If you heard 'Mirror Man', off Stigmata's new album, then you'd know exactly how this one sounds, since from a pure musical perspective, the two songs are very close. A very intense alteration between slow and soothing, and heavy and pounding, the song never manages to lose it's melodic edge, especially in the solo which is simply too normal for the band; not bad by any means - just surprisingly catchy and flowing. Quite dark and doom-laden lyrics, of how the oceans die from the death of the last whale - and by needlessly killing the last whale, mankind inadvertently has killed itself...pretty irrelevant, but deep and suspenseful nonetheless. One of the better songs on the disc, no doubt, not that you have to look hard for one...

In Your Eyes - 8:59
Erm, unfortunately not too much to say for this one. Just look at the length - you'd think something this long would be full of pace changes, dark and intense riffs, and all the other stuff you'd expect after having heard all the previous songs - unfortunately you get none of these - mainly acoustic/keyboard kinda thing, this is in fact VERY similar to Robert Plant and even a little Zeppelin (again). A solid song, it doesn't really take away from the album, but I personally feel it could be better...in fact, I feel it could have been a totally different song. In short, I usually skip it...

Last Victory - 6:47
If I can't say this for any other track on the album, I'll say it for this one - "this song kicks ass!" - heavy and intense grooves provide a nonstop musical treat, and the EXTREMELY well written anti-fascism lyrics (well up to the Skyclad level) are just the icing on the cake; but the song's formation is where it's at - fast and grinding main verse, flowing 2 part refrain, and an almost bombastic bridge section round off a definite highlight, and as it is, one of the shorter songs on the album.

The Fool - 10:44
Ah, what can I say for this one? It's long, it never gets boring, and quite frankly it's the most F#$@'D up song I've ever heard. Tons of various rhythms and beats, about as many (if not more) pace changes, and several pivotal slowdown sections, which beckon the epic vocals/keyboard arrangements. Despite the nature of the other tracks, this one in some miraculous way manages to stand out even more, with it's absolutely abstract and often bizarre stylings; the Noise Records webpage calls it "...The attempt of making insanity sound like music..." - I couldn't have said it better myself - given my 'disappointingly' normal psychological state, I really couldn't remember the entire song from start to finish despite listening (erm, perhaps the word is 'experiencing') to it a number of times, but I can sum it up as such - it's not a good song, it's not a bad song, hell, I'm even sure if it's a song in the first place - what I do know is that the band has vastly succeeded in their venture of bringing pure, unadulterated paranoia and insanity to a musical form, and I applaud them for doing just that - 'nuff said.

(BONUS TRACK) No Reason - 5:05
A piano accompanied ballad - very un-Stigmata like, but it's actually not half bad, especially for a bonus track...