Offerlammets makt

Ah… well, here we have it, folks. Christian black metal: the statement itself sounds like a cognitive dissonance to many, and such a description is alone enough to scare many listeners away. Those who scoff at the travesty known as Christian “black metal” can rest assured, however, as the song titles and lyrics put forward by these Swedes are entirely in their native tongue. With all ideology aside though, these guys can seriously really write some quality music.

Parakletos play a very tight brand of symphonic black metal that’s chock full of everything fans of this genre could expect: haunting keyboards, creepy atmosphere, breakneck drum sections, and catchy guitar harmonies. Don’t think that you can write this one off as just another band of the genre, however. These guys certainly know how to mix it up, and the album truly never bores the listener. While the keyboards are not used sparingly in the least bit, they are extremely varied and keep the album sounding surprisingly fresh. There are also several tracks where these guys are able to slow it down to a trudge, possibly the best example being I Denna Mörka Timme. In general though, the music comes fast with a scattering of mid-paced and slow sections mixed in throughout. Parakletos brings the expected ingredients to the table with a different and unique end result that really makes for an awesome listen.

As far as production quality goes, what's heard here gets the job done. While it comes off sounding fairly slick, it stands on a middle ground between sounding highly produced and raw/flat. One thing that may come as a gripe to some is the drum machine that does appear to be used here, so those who are picky must beware of that. Quite frankly however, the fantastic musicianship more than makes up for this minor flaw, and one will find that it’s an unnoticeable qualm after repeated listens.

On another positive note, this album has several really cool aspects to it that set it apart from other releases in the genre. First is the variety of different sound effects present throughout. Parakletos delivers in this department with a sparingly used range that includes ocean sounds, footsteps through snow, bell tower rings, and harp passages to name only a few. They only act to complement to the music and never become annoying due to their place in the background. Another really neat aspect to this album is this one cool harmony first heard towards the end of Se Guds Lamm (track two after the intro track) that reappears intertwined in the musical composition of several of the other songs. While this may initially sound like a negative aspect, it's not glaring in the least bit and may even be difficult for the casual listener to notice on the first time through the album. This thematic melody only brings to light the sheer depth to the album, and though the thickness is no parallel to Wintersun’s Time I, there are a multitude of varying musical flavors layered throughout.

Standout tracks include I Denna Mörka Timme, which features a really awesome section of creepy atmosphere towards the middle with incoherent whispering in the background and haunting guitar. Torbönstämman i Dödsriket is an instrumental and another great song, featuring acoustic guitars and a dark sounding keyboard for depth. A third standout is Uppståndelsen, which is just truly beautiful. Everything from soaring keyboard harmonies to an outstanding melodious acoustic guitar passage at the end with a backdrop of running water make this track just a pleasure to listen to. This carries right into ocean sounds for the next track, Den Eviga Morgonen Gryr, the album closer that features some of the harp I mentioned earlier along with more acoustic guitar and spoken word with the ever present keyboards to really round out the track.

Ultimately, this one is a true gem. I’ve owned this album for three years now and it’s my pleasure to finally give it some justice with an album review. It will please fans of symphonic black metal that do not need to have the super-produced pomp common to Dimmu Borgir’s later releases and who appreciate a diversity of elements. If any of what I've said sounds interesting, I'd highly suggest you check it out. Unless you speak Swedish and just can't get past the Christian lyrics, Offerlammets Makt is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

The first and foremost thing that needs to be said about this album is the production quality. This album features one of the most annoying drum machines I have ever heard. The machine's samples sound like that which you can find on a cheap keyboard in a pawn shop (including the fake "breaking glass" sound, which they apparently think must sound like a cymbal). Other issues include the symphonic aspects and keyboards in the music occasionally overpowering the guitar and bass, but if you are a diehard symphonic black metal fan then this will not be a new issue. Overall, the production leaves a lot to be desired but is certainly not the worst in a genre that usually favors crappy production quality.

Now to the music. First off, the lyrics are entirely in Swedish (the members are from Sweden originally, even though the band is located in Finland). The music itself is extremely entertaining, featuring very catchy hooks and riffs, ranging from breack-neck speed songs, to the slow atmospheric ballads. Parakletos are masters at creating very memorable songs that will remain stuck in your head for days. The songs are very heavily symphonic and the keyboards do a nice job at creating a dark atmosphere and making things sound epic. I once heard them being compare to a more symphonic Emperor. I think this is one of the better comparisons I have heard, and would have to (though not 100%) agree with it.

Overall I give this album 85 points for being a very enjoyable, epic album. I take off 15 points for production. If you can find your way past it, you will find that Offerlammets Makt is a very well written and entertaining listen. I recommend it highly.

These guys know how to use their keyboards as well as a guitar. They blend hauntingly bittersweet symphonic keyboards with great blackmetal guitars and good blackmetal singing to create an album that never gets dull. The production isn't top notch, but it's good enough to make for a good listen. I've been told that the lyrics chronicle the life of Jesus Christ, but it is all sung in a Norwegian language (not sure which; they formed in Finland but I've heard both of them are actually Swedish) so even the most Christian hating individuals won't have to listen to lyrics praising the Lord (unless they understand the particular language they are speaking). The one great thing about this album is the realization that they are not at their full potential and that hopefully future releases will get better and better. If I had to mention drawbacks, it would be the linear songwritting (could be much grander and epic) and the vocals (they use hauntingly clean vocals throughout the album that give the listener an almost chilly feeling, and more of them would definitley add to a darker, more gothic album ). An English song or two would also be nice, but it's about the music first, and this album delivers.