黄泉呪詞 (Beginning at the End)

My feelings towards this album in comparison to the band's first are somewhat unique. It's easy for me to admit that 'Beginning At The End' is in most ways a stronger release than 'Mortes Saltantes'; the songwriting is more consistent, the production is fuller, and the riffs are more engaging. Moreover, the band has lost a lot of the goofiness which made 'Mortes Saltantes' difficult to take seriously a lot of the time. But this loss actually sets the album back from how good it could have been; it seems that in the band's attempt to be a bit more serious, they also lost some of the personality that made them so charming. I guess you can't win; I always wanted to hear Magane a little bit more serious, and now that I have, I'm not sure if I like it.

Now don't get me wrong, 'Beginning At The End' is a quality black metal album and recommended both for typical black metal fans and those who enjoyed the previous Magane album. For those who haven't heard, Magane plays a variety of riff-oriented black metal augmented by Japanese folk influences, taking the form of unique melodies, occasional clean vocals, and (synthesized) traditional Japanese instruments. The folk elements are employed tastefully and never really usurp the black metal; the usage of folk instruments is far from omnipresent and the Japanese melodies are used at major climaxes in the songs. The black metal side of the music is equally strong, with a large set of distinct and unique tremolo riffs alongside intense and surprisingly developed drumming and a standard but solid vocal performance. Variation in tempo and rhythm are frequent, and the technical performances are a cut above average.

You'll notice that the previous paragraph is positive but doesn't state a lot of unique elements: that's because this, unfortunately, doesn't feel as unique and distinct as the previous LP. 'Beginning At The End' is much closer to a standard black metal album with occasional folk elements rather than the very distinct and unique sound of 'Mortes Saltantes', and it's both better and worse for it. 'Beginning At The End' is probably a better introductory album for someone new to the band's sound despite its place in the discography, but it's not as unique, and its best parts aren't as great as those on the previous album. It feels compressed; it's more consistent but less wild and fascinating, the riffs are generally better but less unique, and the folk influences are pleasant and well incorporated but not as daring. Occasionally a bit of the spirit of 'Mortes Saltantes' will appear in the form of a sudden burst of jazzy piano or hoarsely shouted group vocals, but overall this is a much more static album than the previous.

I do like 'Beginning At The End' a great deal, and as far as professionalism and overall quality go, this is superior to the first LP. But it's not quite as crazy and experimental as the first, and for that I'm not sure I can appreciate it as much. Both albums are certainly worth investigation by the black metal fan, and this has a lot of very good material on it, but I think that the choice between the two really is up to the person listening, and I'm not sure if I'll ever know which I prefer.