How could nobody review this album!? It is such a special album that it has to be reviewed.
Altough not my favourite Bride album (I'm still deliberating between "Turn Loose the Swans" and "The Angel and the Dark River) it still carries those unique moments that are memorable.
The first and obvious thing is that this is the rawest Bride album, which may not suit everyone's taste. For me it's just fine. Apart from that, this kind of production which makes this album great. But maybe it's just me.
The album kicks off with Silent Dance, nice synth effects but for me it's just a filler. But it is a nice prelude to their legendary Sear Me. Damn i love this song! it's one of the highlights of the album. The drum intro it's just Exquisite and it builds to the melancholy riffing. The music then changes into this Death/Doom metal style but still retaining that bitter sweet sadness.
Aaron's echoing growls are amazing and his knowledge in Latin is really evident in the lyrics.
The Forever People is my least favourite in this album. Too bad because it's popular amongst their fans. It's a bit repetitive for my taste and altough the vocal arrangements are the same as the rest of the album, i don't like them that much, they seem emotionless. But maybe it's me :P
Now this is Fuckin Doom! The Bitterness and the Bereavement is a materpiece! The Violin is now introduced in the album through this song, and such sadness! It has to break you down through the first listen. The guitar work is cool especially when it changes in the "Blessed in the womb..." part. But then it descends to that memorable riff that left me humming for weeks
After the sample Vast Choirs starts off in a really Melodic Death style before it descend to our usual dose of Bride. Btw Aaron's sinister laugh is wort an ear! :] Seriously, this is a stoner, especially when Aaron sings. The most memorable part (at least for myself) is that part before "Poena damni", it's just so fuckin cool that it has your head bangin in no time. Overall it's a very versatile song.
This is my favourite Bride song of all time.The Return of the Beautiful is an epic song of life. It's a cycle which every being has to go through, from birth to death. It's about self conflict, paradox, lust and the return to the beautiful which is earth itself. The amount of riffs is uncountable and the atmopshere which we are put in is unique. It all builds up in a rather bleak and gloomy manner and then it explodes into the Battle part. Very Impressive. Then it just flows to a sudden end. Aaron's vocals are impressively sad and emotional. I don't have anymore to say exept that the lyrics are written in a way that it should effect everyone in a different way. My Fave Bride moment.
The album closes with Erotic Literature, not bad, but after Return I don't know what could be better! It features some cool drumming/guitar combination and some nice moments, especially after the "I cannot die" part. Again, it's a versatile song but it doesn't quite fit the ending of such an incredible album.
I would have preferred that Return would have ended this album.
One of the best debut albums, highly versatile in taste and music. It was their first opus and the start of a highly succesful carrer, thus epitomizing the genre of Doom metal.