Iratus Vox Zine

  First of all, the variety and versatility of the music on the album is impressive, because the mood swings and emotional intensity of different parts of the album are changing very rapidly. The depth of the album is in its subtle and difficult to describe atmosphere of many years of epic wandering on the one hand, and the transfer of all the experience gained in them on the other. The variety and crumpledness of sometimes various avalanche-like musical themes resemble compressed emotions, the abundance of which fell on a very short period of time. Nevertheless, if you really imagine an adventure, then on this album you will be able to find mountains in the clouds, and stormy rivers with dense forests on their banks, and the dangers that they conceal in their wilds. In addition, the cornerstone here remains a person in the midst of all this, and the album can be viewed as an allegorical set of images of his perception of reality. by Psychoman

  Despite the severity of the emotions that pass through the album, despite the feeling of hopelessness and sadness that envelop with the music, nevertheless, in spite of everything, some kind of tenderness and romance is felt here. The album as an accompaniment to experiences full of melancholy and all-consuming longing, but still about the beautiful and romantic image that accompanies them. And in some places they are quiet and purely personal, in some places they take on a truly epic scale, but this does not change their essence. by Psychoman

  This is not just a musical accompaniment to a journey through a fantasy world. Here, among the subtlest, beautiful and sensual melodies, a whole universe is born. Just as the pen of a writer is able to bring the whole world to life on paper from the first line, here the very first track opens the gates to a fairy tale. The musical canvas, as a guide, guides the wanderer who has got here through all corners, introduces all the inhabitants, and even says something about local customs. A striking example of modern orchestral music, capable of drawing almost any canvass in front of the listener's eyes. by Psychoman

  Mountains, foggy, high, occasionally covered with snow caps. They are covered with green carpets, and doze, silently peering from the sky. A flock of birds occasionally flies between them, sometimes the sun peeps out from behind the clouds, then hides again, making room for rain. And some mountain peaks are dormant volcanoes waiting in the wings. Some are active volcanoes, periodically flooding their entire foothills with magma, burning everything in their path. But after a storm there is always a calm, and a new storm follows. Heavy rains alternate with iridescent reflections and the omnipresent rays of the sun, and volcanoes, calming down, contemplate further between the silent mountains surrounding them. by Psychoman

Cold wind, whitish snowdrifts, frozen rivers and lakes, gray sky, dark crowns of trees, and a detachment of warriors peering into the distance. They look beyond the horizon, and next to them is an old gray-haired sage, which gives parting words for the long journey ahead. He speaks slowly and confidently, and at this time, inside the harsh and strong men who grew up in the middle of winter, some truly masculine strength grows, capable of protecting, saving, vouching, bearing responsibility. The path of warriors is not easy, sometimes you have to fight, but it only leads to victory. by Psychoman

  The energy of this music does not just flow - it also boils like boiling tar. Sometimes, it seems that the musicians have poured out that swirling stream of emotions that occurs during strong feelings, shocks or strong arousal. Music, like tongues of flame, first licks the skin, and only then makes the inner fire burn more and more. Here is intertwined and drive, and melody, and some kind of even valiant enthusiasm. The music really "ignites", with a strong but positive wave rolls over the listener, now like an avalanche, now it dies down. And behind all this life-affirming energy, like behind a wall of fire, there are numerous feelings. by Psychoman

A very sensual and delicate piece. The intricacies of emotions and thoughts are not only associated with this work, but involuntarily arise during listening. Such a masterful balancing between the diversity of human experiences is worthy of standing ovation, because on the album it was possible to accurately draw, even recreate the deep processes taking place inside a person, while preserving a certain general narrative shade of the picture. And all of them here revolve around one rod, which is associated rather with the concept of some kind of common human wisdom. Sometimes it seems that this is the soundtrack to the story of the character's life.  by Psychoman

The general picture that arises when listening to the album is a modern metropolis with an abundance of cars, people, glass buildings and concrete. It is raining, the picture takes on muted, almost gray tones. In such scenery, the life of a person passes, say, the protagonist, who has a cauldron of emotions inside, conscious under the influence of the environment and people. Of course, the musical theme floats from one emotional shade to another, and everyone very subtly recreates the overall image. Here there is sadness, and anxiety, and experiences bordering on paranoia, and resentment, and loss, and stress, and depression, and simply melancholy. Indeed, a long and cold distance. Nevertheless, despite all the sadness and worries, the feeling of hope does not leave the album.  by Psychoman

Endless space, the spirit of freedom that does not leave for any second the one who came here. Numerous memories of brave deeds and accomplishments complement the feeling that fills the breath of fresh air over the distant hills. Beautiful and sensual melodies will not let you forget about a wonderful fairy tale and freedom, as well as a romantic atmosphere enveloping from all sides. by Psychoman

The “cult” album by Dimmu Borgir, released in 1996, just at a time when the development of black metal was still going along the path of “true” and “underground”. But with this release Dimmu Borgir took black metal to a new stage in their musical evolution, as they did themselves. Adding pianos and keyboards to aggressive and fast black metal was not only a novelty, but also a pretty good idea. Inspired by the classics, Dimmu Borgir created a real masterpiece that simply captivates with its atmosphere and mystical energy. The mixing quality is pretty high considering the year the album was released. Shagrat's guitars and bursting vocals seem to create the backdrop for a great keyboard player. By the way, keyboards simply amaze with their melancholic mood. The drums are beautifully executed, moderately fast, where necessary - slow. All songs are performed in Norwegian, which gives the album originality and memorability. The song Stormblast is a kind of culmination of the album, this

Ever walked in Dark Water Park? Numerous trees with silent and gloomy crowns look straight into the lake and find their reflection in it. Together, they are part of a park that stretches around a bottomless lake. And everyone who enters this park lives a whole life. Here reality is distorted, it exists as in a crooked mirror, which is reflected in the lake at dusk. The musical canvas perfectly reflects these grotesque distortions of reality, and conveys it in the form of fanciful and intricate plots intertwined around a common theme. by Psychoman

First of all, this work impresses with the degree and accuracy of conveying the sense of presence. It is rather a feeling comparable to the effect of touching a real meteorite that has recently fallen from the sky. The album seems to reproduce the entire spectrum that arises inside a person who stands in a meteorite crater in the middle of the night, looks at the meteorite, and then, in bewilderment, peers into the night sky with the stars. True, the album is even wider - it also depicts a picture of a meteorite hitting the Earth's orbit, its landing, the path of a man who has wandered out of nowhere, his bewilderment, guesses and experiences. by Psychoman