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AGATHODAIMON :
SERPENT'S EMBRACE

Fans have been waiting three long years for the return of this fantastic German band, and holy crap was it worth the wait! The history of Agathodaimon is long and twisted, but I'll give you the "Reader's Digest" version. The band formed in Sept. '95, with Matthias (drums), Sathonys (guitars), Marko (bass), Vlad (vocals / keyboards), and Hyperion (guitars). They quickly recorded two, well-received demos ('96's "Carpe Noctem", and '97's "Near Dark"). Then just before recording their debut ('98's "Blacken The Angel") vocalist Vlad, who was visiting his native Romania, wasn't allowed to return to Germany, so guest musicians had to sit in for him. For album two, ('99's "Higher Art Of Rebellion"), Christine S. came aboard for the keyboard duties, and they had to record in Romania to include Vlad. Shortly after the release of album three, called "Chapter III", in 2001, Vlad, Christine, and Marko decided to leave the band. So now, along with Matthias and Sathonys, the band is currently rounded out by Darin Smith on bass, Akaias on vocals, and Felix Walzer on keys. After so much change to a band's line up, one would think it next to impossible to recover, but "Serpent's Embrace" is simply put, an amazing CD. Their sound is all over the extreme Metal map, but to give you a good idea of what they sound like, try to imagine a combination of a symphonic Black-Metal band, and one of the heavier European Goth-Metal acts (such as Trail Of Tears), and you're close. The problem with this of coarse is that the band doesn't stop there. They'll bring in any element that they deem necessary to get the sound and effect that they want. Vocals range from a typical Black-Metal rasp (the bulk of the vox) to a Death-Metal growl, and then sporadic clean male and female vocals are peppered throughout. Songs can go from majestic, keyboard-heavy elegance to gut-pounding, guitar-shredding brutality in the blink of an eye. Bits of Death-Metal, and Thrash occasionally bubble to the top of the brew, helping to form an immensely pleasing, and varied listen. One might think that with so many elements or genres being meshed together, that the sound would seem forced, or unnatural, but nothing could be further from the truth. Agathodaimon just seem to be able to make it all work. Hell, one starts to think that if they stumbled onto a Country-Western riff that they liked, they could easily fit it into a song unnoticed. If you dig bands like Cradle Of Filth & Dimmu Borgir, or Tristania & Theatre Of Tragedy, or anything in between, then Agathodaimon should be essential listening. For more info, check out agathodaimon.de.
RATING = 9 Goth-tinged Black-Metal (Released 2004)

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