GRAND ALCHEMIST „Intervening Coma-Celebration”

I guess it would be enough to say: this record is for maniacs of pompous, soaked in keyboards black metal. These words could make a review. They could, but the fact is that there is something more in music by Grand Alchemist than just copying others' styles (like Borknagar or Arcturus). This “more” is an ability to compose songs which are neither easy nor boring. There's a lot going on in them. Of course we have most obvious playing with vocal lines which means it changes rapidly from typically black squeaks to clean notes. The keyboards make the sound of this album, though sometimes it's too much of them. Guitars, which circle around Sentenced or Moonspell, don't have a lot to say, though there are moments when together with vocal they build great moments and can invent interesting melodies. Anyway, the keyboards are the most important in Grand Alchemist. There's a lot going on here, the album isn't boring in any way. There are rapid, fast and “cool” changes of mood. Many different sounds and influences are impressing. We have intriguing quotations from orient music in a title song in which there'a a great vocal line. Well, this music is not “one of a kind” – the band explores the territories once discovered – but Grand Alchemist is such a competent band that one can like what they do. That's why I give them a strong four.

note: 4/5