All Reviews
Arcturus - Sideshow Symphonies
Release: 2005Label: Season of Mist
By: Johell
Posted: Oct 1, 2005
Celestial dust has poured down from Arcturus to Earth again. Arcturus who invaded our planet three years ago with the brilliant "The Sham Mirrors" is following the chaos path once performed and has filled with maestria their latest release "Sideshow Symphonies", which has been awaited for a long time now. The wait was more than worth it.
Arcturus is back with a new record deal, a new impressive line up, nine new breathtaking, wonderful, mystical but also theatrical and mesmerizing pieces of musical art. A 53 minutes trip out of life, into dreams, straight to the brightness of the constellation.
New impressive panels of emotions, deep breathtaking feelings and a huge new album. I will not make any comparisons with the former singer Garm, who did impressive vocals on the previous albums and Simen Hestnæs, the new vocalist, who brings as well an impressive, but different talented performance on this new album. They are both immense singers.
"Sideshow Symphonies" is here to continue the band's search for perfection, if they haven't yet achieved it. A strange feel of something conceptual in the lyrics is lurking around, the music is exploring a new level to their compositions. Since their first album, the identity of Arcturus is very present, it's still dark, mystical, a veil of mist embraces the songs and they contains damn warm melodies, which collides with fresh and soul filled moments.
From clean to growled vocals, aggressive guitar parts to aerial ones, fast and slower parts of technical drumming to a rolling bass sound and inspired keyboards, that is what the new Arcturus album contains.
The album opens with dreamy keyboard notes from the master himself, Sverd. 'Hibernation Sickness Complete' as it is entitled, is filled with many great moments. Simen Hestnæs voice is deep growled at times and floats to inspired astral vocal lines with interesting lyrics. The guitars, played by Knut and Tore deliver catchy lines. The drumming is smooth and powerful, the bass, intense and filled of groove. The whole splendour and mysterious vibe gives to the whole track a known feeling from before but it's new, it's fresh.
On 'Shipwrecked Frontier Pioneer' a step further is taken to the unknown. The mysterious alien feeling is torn apart with a deep growl and the beat goes faster. The track has a warm feeling which suddenly falls to a colder level. The atmosphere is darker, again atmospheric, powerful and then suddenly sinks to an astral wave with the beautiful voice of Silje Wergeland, which melts together with the devilish voice of Simen. Here they explore their unique sound again. On keyboards, Sverd delivers dreamy catchy lines expressed with his magic dexterity.
A "follow me" feeling opens 'Deamonpainter'. The invasion of brilliant guitar notes are welcomed by an intergalactic well placed "burp". The diction is impressive, not only on this track. Jan Axel (Hellhammer), hasn't lost any of his technical skills, he spreads infernal drumming on the whole album, impressive! This track is wide and contains many bewitched moments on bass, guitars and keyboards. The abrupt ending is also very intense.
'Nocturnal Vision Revisited' has something from the backbone of Arcturus earlier works. Simen on vocals uses his clean and clear voice damn well, strange heavenly noises crawls to the ears, the drumming is fast when needed, touchy when the tempo slows down. I like this one, a great feeling lives within the song.
Then, 'Evacuation Code Deciphered'. A grim musical painting, with plenty of theatrical sensations. Something of the '97 work of "La Masquerade Infernale" is melted into this track. The ethereal and catchy voice of Silje is again used and gives great impact to Simen's vocals. I like this song for it's, in a way, soundtrack feeling. It's deep, warm, yet mysterious.
The opening notes on 'Moonshine Delirium' are weird, they could've come from outer space. The voice, again unique, clear and all the words are distinctive .The drumming is square, linear, taking the musical offering deeper. The guitars of Knut and Tore itches the stomach. Hugh, on bass, dives in to smoothly, twisted traps of rolling bass lines, huge dreamy moments. An atmospherical mysterious vibe in the middle of the song suddenly drops to a melodious happy but as well melancholic imaginative radiation. The solo which follows is limpid, then falls to total darkness, it's just breathtaking. Well, just close your eyes and let your emotions bring pictures to you.
Dark notes open 'White Noise Monster'. It grows, gets faster. The whole song is very tight. Limpid guitars are in front. Something theatrical is included as well. And at the end it falls to a dreamy wall of galactic, celestial notes. Simply beautiful.
Cool intro on the instrumental track 'Reflections'. Then the guitar seems to be crying and right after gets a more voluptuous feeling. The whole ambiance of the track is mystic. A ghostly vocal line appears as well. An open door for a personal mind escape. Magic!
'Hufsa' is the last song. A fantastic track, there is something twisted here. The Norwegian lyrics gives an extra mystical vibration to the whole. The solo is huge, deeply inspired as the whole track.
This one is among the three best albums of the year 2005, there is no doubt about that!
Arcturus is back with a new record deal, a new impressive line up, nine new breathtaking, wonderful, mystical but also theatrical and mesmerizing pieces of musical art. A 53 minutes trip out of life, into dreams, straight to the brightness of the constellation.
New impressive panels of emotions, deep breathtaking feelings and a huge new album. I will not make any comparisons with the former singer Garm, who did impressive vocals on the previous albums and Simen Hestnæs, the new vocalist, who brings as well an impressive, but different talented performance on this new album. They are both immense singers.
"Sideshow Symphonies" is here to continue the band's search for perfection, if they haven't yet achieved it. A strange feel of something conceptual in the lyrics is lurking around, the music is exploring a new level to their compositions. Since their first album, the identity of Arcturus is very present, it's still dark, mystical, a veil of mist embraces the songs and they contains damn warm melodies, which collides with fresh and soul filled moments.
From clean to growled vocals, aggressive guitar parts to aerial ones, fast and slower parts of technical drumming to a rolling bass sound and inspired keyboards, that is what the new Arcturus album contains.
The album opens with dreamy keyboard notes from the master himself, Sverd. 'Hibernation Sickness Complete' as it is entitled, is filled with many great moments. Simen Hestnæs voice is deep growled at times and floats to inspired astral vocal lines with interesting lyrics. The guitars, played by Knut and Tore deliver catchy lines. The drumming is smooth and powerful, the bass, intense and filled of groove. The whole splendour and mysterious vibe gives to the whole track a known feeling from before but it's new, it's fresh.
On 'Shipwrecked Frontier Pioneer' a step further is taken to the unknown. The mysterious alien feeling is torn apart with a deep growl and the beat goes faster. The track has a warm feeling which suddenly falls to a colder level. The atmosphere is darker, again atmospheric, powerful and then suddenly sinks to an astral wave with the beautiful voice of Silje Wergeland, which melts together with the devilish voice of Simen. Here they explore their unique sound again. On keyboards, Sverd delivers dreamy catchy lines expressed with his magic dexterity.
A "follow me" feeling opens 'Deamonpainter'. The invasion of brilliant guitar notes are welcomed by an intergalactic well placed "burp". The diction is impressive, not only on this track. Jan Axel (Hellhammer), hasn't lost any of his technical skills, he spreads infernal drumming on the whole album, impressive! This track is wide and contains many bewitched moments on bass, guitars and keyboards. The abrupt ending is also very intense.
'Nocturnal Vision Revisited' has something from the backbone of Arcturus earlier works. Simen on vocals uses his clean and clear voice damn well, strange heavenly noises crawls to the ears, the drumming is fast when needed, touchy when the tempo slows down. I like this one, a great feeling lives within the song.
Then, 'Evacuation Code Deciphered'. A grim musical painting, with plenty of theatrical sensations. Something of the '97 work of "La Masquerade Infernale" is melted into this track. The ethereal and catchy voice of Silje is again used and gives great impact to Simen's vocals. I like this song for it's, in a way, soundtrack feeling. It's deep, warm, yet mysterious.
The opening notes on 'Moonshine Delirium' are weird, they could've come from outer space. The voice, again unique, clear and all the words are distinctive .The drumming is square, linear, taking the musical offering deeper. The guitars of Knut and Tore itches the stomach. Hugh, on bass, dives in to smoothly, twisted traps of rolling bass lines, huge dreamy moments. An atmospherical mysterious vibe in the middle of the song suddenly drops to a melodious happy but as well melancholic imaginative radiation. The solo which follows is limpid, then falls to total darkness, it's just breathtaking. Well, just close your eyes and let your emotions bring pictures to you.
Dark notes open 'White Noise Monster'. It grows, gets faster. The whole song is very tight. Limpid guitars are in front. Something theatrical is included as well. And at the end it falls to a dreamy wall of galactic, celestial notes. Simply beautiful.
Cool intro on the instrumental track 'Reflections'. Then the guitar seems to be crying and right after gets a more voluptuous feeling. The whole ambiance of the track is mystic. A ghostly vocal line appears as well. An open door for a personal mind escape. Magic!
'Hufsa' is the last song. A fantastic track, there is something twisted here. The Norwegian lyrics gives an extra mystical vibration to the whole. The solo is huge, deeply inspired as the whole track.
This one is among the three best albums of the year 2005, there is no doubt about that!
Rating: 9,5/10
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