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Runemagick > Requiem of the Apocalypse > Reviews
Runemagick - Requiem of the Apocalypse

Another brick in the wall? - 80%

VickonomyOfTheVoid, November 3rd, 2010

"Requiem Of The Apocalypse" is not a flawless album neither is it Runemagick's finest. It is a bunch of good songs that is a continuing testament of greatness to the mighty but often unremembered Swedish Death/Doom metallers. It would be a fine place to start if you've never heard anything from the band before or don't have the time to explore them fully (your loss, by the way!)


Like I stated earlier, this album isn't a shining beacon on Runemagick's discography nor does it represent a drastic change of style like "Darkness Death Doom" did. It is worth owning though, for songs like "On Chariots To Hades" which opens with this mega apocalyptic riff before Terror Rudolfsson's almighty growl leaps out at you. A melodic riff full of ominous intent follows before a heavily muted pattern over which Terror chants darkly. The guitar solo is one of their best. Its arrival is so unexpected due to the tightly governed riffing. Had it appeared on a lead heavy track, it would sound rather bland, but here it shines furiously.
"One Road To Megiddo" has an ultra groovy riff that wonderfully clashes with the skittery melodies underneath. It is a chaotic beauty, to write the least!


"Bells of Death" pleases with its doom-darkened atmosphere. A grand riff distantly similar to the one on Dio's "Strange Highways" song starts things off before drummer Daniel "Mojjo" Moilanen pounds in and steals the show. He shifts the tempo rapidly but never falters. Terror's vocals are absolutely awesome here. He reminds me so much of Immolation's Ross Dolan but with a clearer intonation. "Memorandum Melancholia" delves briefly into harmony guitar melodyland before taking off to faster riffage. Mid song, it gets ambient and the tempo drops. The song's mega dynamics are what make it work. And while the title track isn't really much to write home about,"The Secret Alliance" presents an interesting change. It sounds genuinely mystical with clean vocals and the very Novembers Doom riffing.


Runemagick have tirelessly put out superbly crafted material and while this isn't their biggest trophy on the shelf, it should nevertheless be treasured for its singular quality: the fact that it IS a great record!