Sonrise

Schaliach definitely doesn't strike me as a "Christian" band and that's CERTAINLY not what drew me to them. Moreso, they offer a unique brand of old-school slower tempo melodic Scan death with more guitar solos than one would expect from this type of music.

Although the production of this disc could be better, the riffing and guitar work on the CD really make up for it. Cover to cover, this disc is a masterpiece. Right from the first and very majestic riff of "The Last Creed" - the first track -you know you're in for a treat.

Elements of this CD could be considered on the doom side, based on the fact that most of the songs are slower in tempo. "A Father's Mourning" is a definite indicator of what I mean. One could liken it in feel to Celestial Season (NED)'s incredible "Solar Lovers" CD, sans the violins. Stoner to a degree - spoken vocals in parts.

One could also liken this CD at times to Cales (CZE)'s "The Pass In Time" disc. Definite old-school elements, very riff-centric, and heartfelt.

The intro to "A Whisper From Heaven" eludes to the superb layered guitar harmonies these two guys feature on and off through the disc.

What makes this disc stand out more than anything, for me, is the guitar solo work. They're not rock-out-with-your-cock-out flashy douchebag solos like Dragonforce... No, this is more along the lines of tasteful melodic lines that compliment the already solid riff below it.

The guitar solos that end "The Last Creed" and "Sonrise" are truly the crowning achievements. Mind you, I want to stress again that this is not guitar pyrotechnics and ultratechnicality. Not even like Esqarial (POL) where it's technical but entirely fitting. They are meandering haunting lines that you'll carry with you in your head after a good listen.

The instrumental "Coming Of The Dawn" lays the groundwork for the magnificent harmonized guitar lines to come beginning with piano. This introduces us to the main riff that's to be highly built onto later in the track. Once it breaks in, scores of interwoven guitars make the Scandinavian melody flourish.

I was pleased to discover that the latest release of this CD included a song that wasn't on the original pressing "Purple Filter". It sounds to be recorded a bit later than the other tracks. The production is better and it's a lot more melodic than the rest of the CD. Certainly not a left-over "whatever" track like some that are included as bonuses on other band's CDs are. If this is the last Schaliach we're ever to hear, which I'm quite sure it will be, it's a hell of a send-off.

As a side note, I had always cast away Extol based purely on their fanbase, which may not in itself be fair. Once I got this CD, I decided to go back and listen to Extol, hoping for a dash of the Schaliach greatness. There was none to be found. Another tragedy.

RIP Schaliach.