Release Date: 2005 Record Label: Oaken Sheild/Adipocere Records Track list: Band Website: Evohe |
Evohe - Tellus Mater
Ever put on a CD, then halfway through, woken up and wondered what the hell it is you're listening to? That's exactly what happened to me every time I've tried to listen to this one. Ostensibly, it's actually quite good – well played, clearly recorded melodic black metal. That's also its major downfall… it's completely faceless. Nothing on this album really stands out and draws attention to itself. Rather, it just rumbles along with a bunch of riffs recycled/stolen from early Primordial and Satyricon, but lacking the melancholy of the former and the variation of the latter. It seems Evohe have put quite a bit of effort into this, which makes it rather difficult to bash. It's certainly not the product of stupid kvlt kiddies trying to emulate their idols – the whole thing is awfully professional, which is also its downfall, since it just never steps out of the box or challenges the listener in any way. As I mentioned before, I found it impossible to really focus on what was going on for any length of time. Halfway through most songs I'd simply drift off and concentrate on something more interesting, like the hairs on the back of my hand or the pattern on the wallpaper. Which unfortunately for this album, is a rather damning verdict – it's not even bad enough to make me hate it, and certainly not good enough to make me like it… it's just there.
May 10th, 2006 |
