Music: Death/Black Metal
Country: Sweden
Web site: www.midark.net
Cool Songs: Selene-The Spirit, Shadows in Midark, King of Stars–Bearer of Dark
King of Stars-Bearer of Dark is a fantasy story conveyed through heavy metal, most notably black metal. Just like a book, the music changes often and relates many moods. The core of the album is well-produced black metal that relies on the guitars, without an over reliance on keyboards. The guitars are not raw or necro but still have that eerie dissonant of a tremolo-picked black metal riff. Robert Kanto handles all guitars, including the bass, and does well in changing up tempos. He switches between mid-paced rhythms, short bursts of speed, stop and start rhythms, and in some cases classical guitar passages. He tightly follows his recorded bass and Mattias Holmgrens (Naglfar) drums and keyboards.
The melodies these Swedes create were the most appealing characteristic of this album. Kanto flawlessly shifts between soaring melodic solos and flashy scale climbing, which exemplifies his diverse musical background. He further displays his skills by putting down an electric guitar and picking up an acoustic. The albums title track and farewell track shows Kanto playing acoustic guitar that makes the whole story seem like its being told around a campfire. Holmgren offers a harmonious hand, lending piano parts to moments in tracks like Selene-The Spirit and The Lake of Death. When the vocals change from throat-scarring black metal to clean, folksy vocals in certain parts through out the album, a different dimension is added to the warring black metal.
With AZURE being on a lesser-known labelDeathgasmand the fact that Sweden has no shortage of talent means this duo has an uphill climb to get the exposure they deserve. Azure has much going for them, though. The group has a wealth of talent and communicates it in an interesting and original fashion. There are loads of Scandinavian bands playing melodic death or black metal, but none with the myriad of musical influences that AZURE has.
note: 8/10
Tracklist
1. Greeting Chaos
2. Dead Men's Shadow Flickering
3. The Lake of Death Magnion
4. Selene The Spirit
5. Whispers of Echoes Passed
6. Shadows In Midark
7. The Storm (The Hill of Heimad)
8. King of Stars Bearer of Dark
Total playing time 41:48
Line-up
Robert “Amorth“ Kanto – Guitars, bass, vocals
Mattias Holmgren – Drums, keyboards, vocals
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