02.26
BMM. 028-10 Helevorn - Forthcoming Displeasures
Format: Digipack CD
Release Date: 26.02.2010
Country: Spain
Genre: Dark Metal
The second full-length album of magnificent Spanish band. In its 11-year history the band played a number of gigs in Spain and other countries, contributed to A Tribute to Katatonia, issued the debut album in their home country and received numerous positive feedbacks in various musical magazines. Now the musicians’ search for novel sound and tendencies towards high-quality recording and mastering embodied in their new album «Forthcoming Displeasures»! Indeed emotional music combining shades of
grief and sorrow is able to touch the souls of listeners, especially the ones who like last works of Katatonia, Paradise Lost and Draconian. The album is available in digipack format.
Tracklist:
1. From Our Glorious Days
2. Descent
3. Two Voices Surrounding
4. To Bleed not to Suffer
5. Revelations
6. Hopeless Truth
7. Yellow
8. On Shores (Of a Dying Sea)
Review
Minaciuos Webzine
Helevorn (another Tolkien-inspired name) is a Spanish band that has been around since 1999, this is their second album, they also released a demo in 2001, but that is it. But when you listen to the music, you can quickly guess why so few releases over such a long period of time. They spend a lot of time writing the music, this is not thrown together over a weekend. That being said I must proclaim that this is not really my brand of music, a bit too sleek and clean, to much clean vocals, not enough filth and raw contempt. The music is related to Katatonia mainly (before they went overboard with the Rock-elements) and Paradise Lost. Slow, mournful Metal music, with a lot of Doom elements, some Death Metal elements with a taste of Gothic music. Majestic and quite Epic, with a lot of focus on creating a gloomy atmosphere filled with melancholy. And they do succeed, but once again not my type of music. If you enjoy Katatonia and/or Paradise Lost this will surely tickle your fancy.
Author: Mordant
Review
Brutalism
4/5
14.04.2010
Helevorn is an doom metal band from Spain. Helevorn formed in 1999 and released a demo in 2000 titled “Prelude”. Starting out as a typical doom band in the gothic direction, they have become a lot more darker and heavier over the years. I first became aware of the band in 2005 when they released a CD called “Fragments”, this was a giant step in a more doomier direction but keeping the melancholic atmosphere they had in the beginning of their career as a band. By 2007, they were making a name for themselves around Spain and even supported Swallow the Sun on their Spanish and Portugal tours. Moving forward to 2009 and they entered the studio to record this album called “Forthcoming Displeasures”, the end result is a very dark, atmospheric album. The production was handled by Jens Bogren and Johan Ornborg who have worked with Katatonia, Paradise Lost and Opeth.
“From our Glorious Days” is the opening track and already the dark atmospheric mood is set, it blends some kick ass riffs with strong melodies and although its a little predictable, the album is off to a good start. Like most of these kind of doom outfits, they use clean to growling vocals but piano parts are added to the clean vocal parts in the opening track to great effect. “Descent” is up next and its even more gloomy than the opener, there is spoken word passages and crunching doom riffs that are clean compared to a lot of other bands in the genre but Helevorn are all about dark atmospheric music and they achieve that here. “Two Voices Surrounding” begins with a piano intro before the melancholic riffs come in till there is a drastic change with the death growls in the middle of the track. There is some great, almost catchy melodies within all the darkness however and the track seems to gain strength the longer it goes on, to sum up this is one of the highlights of the disc. “To Bleed not to Suffer” takes the album in a slightly heavier direction even though it has the added violin sections, this just adds to the dark intensity of the track. The musicianship is top-notch throughout and this is one of the songs on “Forthcoming Displeasures” where the combination of gothic, melancholic doom and epic driving metal is perfected. “Revelations” sees a change in pace with a more mid-tempo metal attack and stunning guitar harmonics. “Hopeless Truth” brings everything down again to some slow, melodic doom. Again it features more dark guitar passages and spooky piano work, it builds up in tension and atmosphere to a fitting climax.
“Yellow” continues the album in a similar vein with more crunchy guitar riffing and a mournful atmosphere, there is a lot of bands that this can compared to but I am sick of doing that so lets just say, its a typical European doom approach but at the same time, the way its played is pure perfection. The album’s finale is “On Shores (of a Dying Sea)”, it starts off with some musical melancholic beauty before it is washed away with eerie doom riffing and a depressing atmosphere. Aggressive death growls blend with clean, mournful vocals that build the track up into a hell of a highly charged slab of emotional doom metal. Its has a kind of depressing beauty about it that is hard to put into words. When its all over, you are left with a feeling you have heard it all before but you are no less impressed with “Forthcoming Displeasures”. What makes it so impressive is the eerie atmosphere combined with incredible musicianship and the superb production. The album is not perfect but it comes real close, Helevorn are a underrated band but this is a album that deserves to push them to the next level amongst doom metal fans. The way this band is improving, the next album could be a all out masterpiece but for now, “Forthcoming Displeasures” demands your attention.
Author: Ed
Review
Archaic Magazine
073.04.2010
Spain is not a scene known for its Doom Bands…probably some few brutal death have gained some attention in the past, like Avulsed for example. That’s why I got pretty impressed with Helevorn and their recently released “Forthcoming Displeasures” full length album by BadMoonMan Records.
Impressive for several reasons, 1st with the exception of these dudes, there was another Doom Metal band from Spain in the 90’s…don’t recall the name, but it was doom… so after almost 15 years another Spanish doomy band is memorable for me. But despite this fact, we can say that Helevorn knows very well their job…I mean, the proposal is clear for all the members and that’s obvious when you listen this killer album, you know…slow melodic deppresive doom metal extremely connected with some cult Finnish acts.
Yep…Helevorn does not sound Spanish at all, the continuous use of syths, the clear whisper voices and the overall sound production makes this album one of those jewels for fans of acts such as early Moonsorrow, Barren Earth and so on…I liked so much the growling voices, not so the clean ones but that’s a matter of personal taste, the truth is the overall work these dudes have made is really killer!!!
The sound production is really neat…pretty cold I may say, but totally suitable for the overall proposal that relies on an atmosphere of continuous & misanthropic melancholy. So my recommendation of to keep an eye on this cool band, we’ll definitely keep listening from them in the future, in the mean time, get in touch with them or the label and experience how cold and languid can a band get…you’ll be amazed…I can assure you!!!
Author: Ronald
Review
Hall Of Metal
8.8/10
Emulando a David Meca (pero con flotador), nos hemos cruzado a nado la distancia que separa la península de Baleares para traeros lo nuevo de HELEVORN, una veterana formación de Palma de Mallorca formada en 1999.
La banda editó su primera demo en 2001 (“Prelude”) y gracias a la buena acogida, se pusieron las pilas para refinar y mejorar su repertorio con vistas a la edición de su ansiado debut. Aquel disco, autoeditado, saldría finalmente en 2005 bajo el título “Fragments” y la reacción de prensa y aficionado fue lo suficientemente buena como para “obligar” a la banda a cruzar el charco y venir a presentar la obra por distintas ciudades de la península.
Tras aparecer en un tributo a KATATONIA (“November Songs”, editado por Northern Silence Records en 2006), la formación recibe una invitación para girar junto a los siempre excitantes SWALLOW THE SUN por España, Portugal y finalizar el tour tocando en el prestigioso festival holandés Dutch Doom Days VI. A finales del 2008, la banda aparece en el inmenso recopilatorio “Spain Kills” (10 discos editados por Xtreem Music, con un cd para cada estilo), justo en el álbum dedicado al doom.
Finalmente llegamos al 2009 y la banda se mete en unos estudios de su ciudad para dar forma a este “Forthcoming Displeasures”, con producción de Jens Bogren y Johan Ornborg (KATATONIA, OPETH, DRACONIAN, PARADISE LOST…ahí es nada!!), y cuyo resultado ha engatusado al sello ruso BadMoodMan/Solitude Productions que lo lanzó a nivel mundial el pasado día 15 de Febrero de este 2010.
Para enfrentarse a este “Forthcoming Displeasures” hay que saber apreciar el doom/death, en su vertiente más romántica y melódica, y el dark metal. Si en esos terrenos te sueles mover, aquí vas a encontrar un gran producto nacional con calidad internacional, de esos que no tienen que envidiar nada, de nadie. Hallarás unos temas plagados de melodías tristes y ralentizadas, guitarras solistas con lágrimas en los ojos y rítmicas pastosas, batería parsimoniosa, pianos ensoñadores y teclados ambientales, y todo ello coronado con una dualidad vocal normal-tristona/gutural-desgarrada de una grandísima calidad.
Comenzaremos el viaje hacia las profundidades con “From Our Glorious Days”, tema en el que se dan la mano los recitados, sobre un fondo sereno, que suele usar Aaron (MY DYING BRIDE) con voz triste junto a riffs tremendamente melodiosos y pesados ya con voz gutural, en plan SATURNUS por ejemplo.
“Descent” es más lenta y potente pero sin prohibirnos de disfrutar de pasajes totalmente ambientales, de coros melodiosos y tristeza, mucha tristeza. Un tema para disfrutar en silencio.
“Two Voices Surrounding” arranca a lo metal gótico, con las rítmicas más persistentes acompañadas de un piano, para pasar a estrofas solo con sección rítmica y estribillos a lo techno/gótico ochentero. Los que gustéis de gente como BESEECH o TO/DIE/FOR pero en plan más doom, fliparéis con este excelente tema.
Nos movemos hacia terrenos casi funeral doom con “To Bleed Not To Suffer”, con esos teclados celestiales dando ambiente a los lentos riffs. Según vayamos transcurriendo en su escucha, empezaremos a recibir pasajes guitarreros a lo KATATONIA (de enorme calidad), zonas melancólicas con gran protagonismo del cello (a los inicios de CELESTIAL SEASON), repetitivas estructuras melódicas en plan hipnótico…, desde luego hay que agradecer a la banda esta gran variedad de ideas y ambientes que nos ofrece.
Algo más animada y marchosa es “Revelations”, con guitarras persistentes y teclados sonando en todo momento, dando solemnidad a un tema que invita a mover los pies durante buena parte de su duración. Antes comentaba la calidad vocal y pido atención para esas frases pre-zona central con dueto vocal y excelente acompañamiento del piano.
Lentísima comienza “Hopeless Truth” y Josep aprovecha esta sonoridad para regalarnos otro pasaje con voz triste, a lo viejo doom inglés. Guitarras muy espaciadas, piano dibujando unas leves notas melancólicas y batería ceremonial, aunque según transcurre, recibiremos algún pasaje más movido, alguno mucho más lento aún y final en plan épico.
A “Yellow” hay que tratarla como un desesperado lamento musical. Voz gutural mezclada con pasajes con voz normal etérea y, de fondo, unos riffs pesados, arrastrados y lentos, con arpeggios de guitarra a lo MDB de su mejor época. Tremendos estos mallorquines.
Finalizamos lo que ha sido un brillantísimo disco con “On Shores (Of A Dying Sea)”. Teclados imitando voces celestiales, guitarras melódicas lentas sobre una rítmicas super pesadas, desarrollando un tema ralentizado y ensoñador, con dualidad vocal intercambiandose las estrofas. Como cierre nos dejan una zona final con unas notas del bajo y un piano tristón que se va desvaneciendo poco a poco…
Impresionante obra la que nos ofrecen nuestros paisanos HELEVORN, mezcla de doom/death británico con pasajes ambientales y zonas en plan funeral doom, y todo ello con la calidad por bandera. Un disco que invita a escucharlo sin interferencias, disfrutando del enorme sonido que estos chicos han conseguido.
Compra obligada para amantes de estas sonoridades!!
Author: spina
Review
Metal 4 All
8/10
19.04.2010
“Fragments” fue el nombre del disco autoproducido que estos tipos de Palma de Mallorca se editaron hace unos largos cuatro aсos y pico. Un primer disco (anteriormente hubo una Demo) que obtuvo unas crнticas muy positivas cuando saliу y que fue masterizado por Mika Jussila. Despuйs de todo este tiempo sin editar nada en estudio Helevorn (nombre que proviene de uno de los mundos de Tolkien, y quiere decir Cristal Oscuro) continъan apostando fuerte por sus creaciones y consiguen que los pesos pesados de Jens Bogren y Johan Цrnborg (Katatonia, Opeth, Draconian o Paradise Lost) les produzcan su segundo бlbum.
Ademбs cuentan con el apoyo de un Sello ruso para la ediciуn de un trabajo que parece tener una presentaciуn cuidada, digo parece pues sуlo tengo la portada y contraportada fotocopiada y un CD-r, pero el trabajo que ha plasmado en el Digipack el artista noruego Robert Hшyem (Evoken o In Mourning) parece muy logrado. Recordar que Helevorn tambiйn han aparecido en el tributo a Katatonia “November Songs” y mбs recientemente en el nacional Spain Kills.
El disco, como verбs en el track list, son sуlo ocho temas, pero ocho temas de un estilo Doom/Death muy inglйs, con una duraciуn cercana a la hora en total y un sonido claro, muy pulido y donde todos los instrumentos tienen sus momentos, ojo al bajo, con algunas lнneas sobresalientes en diferentes cortes. El propio comienzo “From Our Glorious Days” contiene la combinaciуn de voces guturales con otras limpias, melodнas suaves, pasajes ambientales y unas guitarras densas con la una presencia continъa melancуlica. De hecho, la segunda “Descent” es perfecta para escuchar en oscuridad. Ocho minutos delicados y melancуlicos de Doom/Death con arreglos de cuerda. “Two Voices Surrounding” contiene toques de Metal gуtico y tal vez sea ese piano lo que me lo recuerde, pero escucho las influencias de Him o To/Die/For en el tema.
Me ha gustado la elegancia de las cuerdas en una “To Bleed Not To Suffer” que tiene unos punteos al final de la composiciуn inmaculados, una canciуn de ocho minutos que cuenta con la mбs completa inspiraciуn. Los teclados celestiales de “Revelations” nos introducen en un tema con punteos, buen piano y de marcado ritmo, pero algo mбs rбpido que el resto de “Forthcoming Displeasures”, todo lo contrario que el lento y agуnico Funeral Doom de “Hopeless Truth”: la solemnidad hecha canciуn.
Tal vez el Doom en este paнs nunca ha sido un gйnero con demasiados seguidores, pero Helevorn, junto a Evadne, Shroud of Tears, Golgotha u Offense demuestra que no es por falta de calidad. Asн que si te van bandas como Swallow The Sun, Ablaze In Hatred, My Dying Bride o Novembers Doom hazte con este “Forthcoming Pleasures” porque va a ser imposible que te sientas decepcionado.
Author: A.R.T.
Review
Mtuk Metal Zine
Gothic doom. As a genre, I honestly can’t get enough of it and could quite happily listen to it all day, but there does come a time when you must admit to yourself that a lot of it really does sound alike. I mean, you have your Anathema’s and Swallow The Sun’s up there at the top, then beneath it there are a heap of imitators that I’ll certainly enjoy listening to, perhaps make an effort to see live if the chance should arise, but probably won’t spend an awful lot of time off that dusty old shelf. It’s a lot easier to tell when a gothic doom album is especially bad; done right it should have atmosphere and emotion above all else and when that’s missing you might as well not bother. Forthcoming Displeasures certainly has these elements in spades; it’s the sort of album you can instantly put on the stereo and it feels as comforting as a nice pair of fluffy, slightly worn-in slippers which is, in a way, rather a good thing. Sometimes you just want what is familiar and comfortable…On the other hand it can be predicted note-for-note by anyone with even a casual liking for the sub-genre, and if I had to tell you why to buy this album as opposed to any of the other ten or so gothic-doom albums I’ve heard this year I’m not sure that I could.
That’s not to say it’s not worth your attention; it’s actually a highly listenable album. ‘Descent’ has a grand, epic flow spanning over seven minutes with richly interwoven layers of soothing guitar melodies and soaring keyboards. There is very much that glimmer of hope shining through a la Swallow The Sun, which I like. Things get a bit more up-tempo with ‘Two Voices Surrounding’ which plods along with a Gothic sounding drum beat and the dejected clean vocal lines on this one especially have me drawing a comparison to Nick Holmes. There is a steady mix of clean vocals and deathly growls; on ‘Yellow’ (not a Coldplay cover, in case you’re wondering) the vocals on the chorus are really fragile and add an air of Gothic romance to proceedings.
There’s a certain air of majesty on ‘To Bleed Not To Suffer’ which has a nice flow to it and again the guitars are especially soothing in their tone. The violin is a nice touch as well, adding a mournful layer over the main rhythm section. ‘Hopeless Truth’ is an interesting one with a seemingly unconventional time signature which eventually finds its way swinging into motion, before crashing to a catastrophic halt and struggling back to where it began. There’s even an Egyptian lick that discreetly maunders into the mix. To return to the beginning, Forthcoming Pleasures doesn’t really offer anything new to the table, but it’s a nice, slick sounding slice of melancholy that fans of Gothic doom are bound to enjoy.
Author: Luci Herbert
Review
Antichrist Zine
8/10
23.04.2010
Hm, Spain is a country with pretty huge amount of metal bands, in any styles, you know what I mean… Also there are many bands into doom and gothic metal, and almost all the bands plays high quality music, respected worldwide. HELEVORN is coming from Spain too, during 11 years of existence they recorded one demo and two albums, last album is here and now, and its name is – “Forthcoming Displeasures”. So let’s see if this band worth for worldwide respect and attention from the fan’s side. Eight tracks were hidden on this album, and… I listen to it some times and I see just next worthy bands from Spanish Underground! HELEVORN’s music is some kind of dark metal, where doom metal met with gothic attitude, and to the fact, not that modern gothic, but with dark feelings. I didn’t find anything new in their music, but I did NOT looked for that, I just listened to music and this music bring me good emotions. The whole album sounds on one breath, with such measured yet slow rhythm-section (same for drums and etc, all follows each other in right condition), obscure and dark vocals and just atmosphere of total despair and solitude… Also except of those slow or measured rhythms there are also such tempo-changes into marching rhythms, which have pretty catching feelings. Together with massive metal means there are comes also keyboards, and they are great too, they sounds as “right” addition for the whole structure. So, if your soul is opened for interesting doom/gothic metal, with melodic and at the same time obscure parts – try this.
Review
Pavillon 666
7.5/10
26.04.2010
Cinq ans après leur tout premier album studio nommé « Fragments », empreint d’un style plus particulièrement gothique avec l’apparition de chants féminins alternés avec des growls bien caverneux, les espagnols d’Helevorn semblent avoir trouvé une musique qui leur correspond mieux avec la sortie de cet album, « Forthcoming Displeasures » : du doom bien lent, bien mélancolique, à l’instar de groupes tels que Katatonia ou Draconian.
Des progrès sont tout d’abord à noter au niveau du son. En effet, la production est bien meilleure (dû sans doute au fait qu’ils aient signé chez un label pour le moins sérieux, à savoir Solitude Productions). Toutefois, on sent un léger manque d’homogénéité entre tous les instruments. Hormis ça, on sent que le groupe s’est appliqué dans ses compos, se fichant de la longueur des titres, privilégiant les ambiances et les émotions à l’originalité ou à la technique.
On remarquera sans doute la linéarité de l’album et le fait que certains titres se ressemblent et donnent l’impression qu’ils aient déjà été écoutés. Mais heureusement, chacun possède son riff, son ambiance, sa tessiture qui fait qu’on le reconnaitra. Au fil des huit minutes trente que peut contenir un titre au maximum dans cet album, il y a quand même un moment qu’on remarque le plus, si nous ne sommes pas écrasés par la tristesse et la lourdeur des guitares. En effet, c’est oppressant, comme si tout le désespoir du groupe tombait sur nos épaules.
Dès « From Our Glorious Days », on est embarqués dans cette atmosphère-ci. C’est lent, les claviers sont mélancoliques, les guitares semblent se plaindre, le chant clair est comme une lamentation à côté d’un chant caverneux qui lui, semble être décharné.
Cependant, « Descent » est comme une descente dans les méandres de la tristesse et de la lutte acharnée pour retrouver ne serait-ce qu’un peu d’espoir. Haut de presque huit minutes, ce titre est un vrai bijou en matière d’ambiance. A la fois progressif et gothique, le ton est souligné occasionnellement par des synthés en petite dose, et parfois, le piano, alors que les riffs semblent continuellement les mêmes, lourds et terribles dans leur tristesse, le chant, lui est très expressif. La deuxième partie du titre se veut plus terrible, surtout par son break, l’apparition du chant clair, les complaintes des guitares, et la puissance des claviers lors des dernières secondes, soulignant le tout d’une couleur noire et apportant une bonne dose d’émotion en plus.
« Revelations » se veut plus rapide que les autres titres, la batterie étant plus mise en avant, ainsi que le côté épique des claviers. « Hopeless Truth », le titre le plus court de l’album, possède des sonorités orientales fortes intéressantes, créées en particulier par les riffs, quelques lignes de claviers, et certaines percussions. Un changement d’ambiance notable, d’autant plus que ce morceau semble, étrangement, plus chaleureux mais tout aussi sombre que les autres.
On remarquera sans difficulté le côté Katatonia à l’intérieur du titre « On Shores », totalement triste et glacial. Un peu linéaire et ressemblant à « Descent », il se distingue surtout par sa fin instrumentale, le piano en fil conducteur, les synthés en fond sonore, les percussions en rythme, les guitares douces, tels une berceuse. Chaque instrument disparait au fur et à mesure, comme le symbole d’une fin ou d’une mort imminente.
Un album sympathique, quoiqu’un peu linéaire je le répète, mais certains titres restent pour le moins prenants. Je le recommande tout de même pour tous les amateurs de doom, même si l’originalité n’est peut-être pas au rendez-vous, les influences restant notables au fil de l’album. Helevorn arriverait sans doute à sortir des sentiers battus s’il se détachait un peu plus de ces influences-ci…
Author: Matai
Review
Metal.de
7/10
22.04.2010
Sommer, Sonne und Sangria: Typische Assoziationen, die man mit Spanien und vor allem mit des Deutschen liebster Ferieninsel Palma de Mallorca verknüpft. Dabei enthält das zweite Studioalbum der Mallorquiner alles andere als leichte Animationsuntermalung für präpotente Ballermann-Touristen. HELEVORNs “Forthcoming Displeasures” ist vertonte Melancholie, die eine ähnlich herrlich-hoffnungslose Atmosphäre zaubert, wie es Bands wie PARADISE LOST, MY DYING BRIDE, SWALLOW THE SUN oder auch KATATONIA immer wieder unter Beweis stellen. Damit sind auch bereits die Grenzen des Sextetts abgesteckt und vielleicht erinnert sich der ein oder andere auch noch an das vor vier Jahren erschienene “December Songs – A Tribute to Katatonia”, denn auf diesem Album haben HELEVORN mit ihrer Version des KATATONIA-Klassikers “12″ zum ersten Mal – zumindest bei mir – Eindruck hinterlassen.
Die gelungene Mischung aus heftigen Growls und intelligent platziertem Klargesang von Frontmann Josep kommt der düsteren Grundstimmung sehr zugute, so dass man sich zu Songs wie dem schleppend-düsteren “Descent”, dem hitverdächtigen “Two Voices Surrounding” oder dem mit südländischer Rhythmik angereicherten “Hopeless Truth” in wohlwollender Agonie wälzen und sich in Selbstmitleid suhlen kann, bis die Tränen fließen. Ebenfalls erwähnenswert ist der Titel “Revelation”, der mit dramatisch treibender, stellenweise mit Pianoklängen aufgelockerter Instrumentalisierung zu begeistern vermag.
Produziert und gemixt wurde das Album von Jens Bogren und Johan Örnborg, die bereits Alben der zuvor erwähnten Bands veredelt und auch “Forthcoming Displeasures” mit einem angenehm erdigen und kraftvollen Sound ausgestattet haben. Freunde der erwähnten Genregrößen sollten daher nicht lange überlegen und zugreifen, auch wenn eine gewisse Eigenständigkeit nicht immer zu vernehmen ist. Für den nahenden Sommer gibt es bisher jedenfalls kein besseres Melancholie-Schmachtwerk als “Forthcoming Displeasures”.
Author: Jens
Review
Lords of Metal
8.6/10
Na het in eigen beheer uitgebrachte album ‘Fragments’ uit 2005 komt Helevorn, uit het in de Middelandse Zee gelegen Mallorca, met hun tweede full-length die dit keer uitkomt via BadMoodMan, een sub-label van Solitude Productions.
Dat de band er alles aan doet om zo goed mogelijk voor de dag te komen was al duidelijk bij het vorige album dat ze in Finland lieten masteren in de fameuze Tico Tico studio. Voor ‘Forthcoming Displeasures’ lieten ze Jens Bogren en Johan Örnborg naar Mallorca overkomen voor de opnames en vervolgens werd deze CD gemixt en gemastered in de Zweedse studio van deze heren, Fascination Street waar ook acts als Paradise Lost en Katatonia eerder opnames maakten. Qua geluid zit het op deze plaat dus wel goed en liefhebbers van melodieuze doom/death kunnen Helevorn eigenlijk niet links laten liggen. Qua vergelijking zou ik de band tussen Paradise Lost en Swallow the Sun willen plaatsen. Kortom, gewoon een erg goede plaat binnen het genre.
Author: Pim B
Review
Arstocrazia Webzine
10.05.2010
Gli ispanici gothic/doom metaller Helevorn si rifanno vivi dopo un’assenza durata cinque lunghi anni da quel debut acerbo “Fragments” che ne mostrò allora qualità da non prendere sottogamba.
Tornano rinvigoriti, molto più maturi, con delle composizioni levigate e compositivamente più elaborate rispetto a quelle che costituivano il predecessore.
“Forthcoming Displeasures” si presenta come un album suadente dove i classici cliché del doom, stavolta maggiormente orientato e coniugato verso il death di matrice melodica, sono stati irrobustiti e meglio studiati.
Non fraintendetemi, non c’è nulla di realmente innovativo in questo disco ma l’evidente collegamento ad act come gli Swallow The Sun, The Prophecy o i nostrani The Foreshadowing dal punto di vista sonoro non può non farmeli piacere.
La carica melancolica insita nei brani è preponderante per la riuscita creazione d’atmosfere cullanti mai fugaci, al contrario si spandono constanti per l’intero platter avvolgendo e indicando la strada a chi si pone all’ascolto.
D’altro canto c’è da dire che il genere si è molto sdoganato con il fiorente proliferare di formazioni che si cimentano nella riproposizione dello stile, la fortuna degli Helevorn è quella di essere ben al di sopra della misera cover band dei Katatonia del periodo di mezzo e non soffrire i cali sdolcinati e melensi che furono la rovina dei Draconian post “Arcaine Rain Fell” che li vide diventare una parodiale versione di loro stessi.
Le linee gotiche più evidenti vengono riflesse da “Two Voices Surrounding”, il resto del platter fornisce con la solidità di un riffing di più che buona fattura e la prestazione vocale del singer, pregevole sia in fase di clean sia nel growling, una prova convincente che trova vette in “Descent”, “Hopeless Truth” e “On Shores (Of A Dying Sea)”.
La produzione affidata all’accoppiata svedese Jens Bogren e Johan Örnborg, due che sanno come destreggiarsi a modo, dona personalità e professionalità al lavoro degli spagnoli, dote in più che non può certo dispiacere.
In un mercato esasperato e congestionato da troppe uscite, offrite più di una banale chance a “Forthcoming Displeasures”, troppo spesso per la poca attenzione o l’ascolto distratto si rischia di perdere dischi che magari non saranno capolavori ma che meritano il rispetto e l’acquisto per l’emozione e la sostanzialità che riescono a fornire, il nuovo Helevorn è fra questi.
Author: Mourning
Review
Atlantis Tales
9/10
Долго вспоминая, где и как я уже слышал испанцев HELEVORN, обсматривая треклисты всяких сборников, трибьютов и компиляций, я вновь наткнулся на трибьют KATATONIA “December Songs” 2006 года и вот на нем среди каверов от DARK FORTRESS, FORGOTTEN TOMB, и наших соотечественников FOREST STREAM, запряталась композиция 12 в исполнении HELEVORN. Меж тем, у испанцев уже на тот момент в активе было два своих релиза: EP “Prelude” (2001) и LP “Fragments” (2005). Новый, второй, полноформатный альбом был выпущен отечественной фирмой BadMoodMan Music в виде 4-панельного digipack с 12-страничным буклетом. Dark/doom metal в духе последних работ KATATONIA “Night Is The New Day” (2009) и “The Great Cold Distance” (2006) только (да простят меня поклонники именитых шведов) звучащий более ярко, выразительно и эмоционально. Профессиональная, сбалансированная и красивая работа дарит час для того, чтобы погрустить, не испытывая при этом, вопреки названию альбома, никакого недовольства, или же чувства глубокой депрессии и безысходности – лишь грусть и задумчивость… Протяжные соло, распевные чистые вокалы, сочный и разборчивый гроул, местами doom/death’вая жесткость, создающие общий фундамент, но не стоящие во главе угла, клавиши. В общем, любители doom’a со стажем должны оценить…
Author: Atlantis
Review
Heavy Impact
8.5/10
26.05.2010
Chi ci segue con attenzione avrà notato che da un po’ di tempo a questa parte le relases in campo Gothic/Doom Metal provenienti dalla label russa Solitude Productions (e dalle etichette ad essa affiliate), stanno assumendo un ruolo determinate sotto il punto di vista qualitativo.
A tale affermazione non fanno eccezione gli spagnoli Helevorn, autori di questo piccolo trattato di malinconico Doom dal titolo “Forthcoming Displeasures”, secondo studio album per la band, che segue a cinque anni di distanza il precedente “Fragments”. Prodotto da Jens Bogren, il lavoro in questione è un concentrato di emozionalità, una emozionalità che si muove all’interno di una dialettica di sensazioni ora fosche ora sognanti. Otto brani semplicemente belli, dotati di una musicalità intensa, profonda e matura. Otto brani tra decadenza e romanticismo ove si pongono in primo piano le vocals di Josep Brunet, ottimamente bilanciate nel proprio darsi sia in una oscura e fisica forma growl, sia nella propria essenza di drammatica narrazione sotto aspetto di clean vocals dal profilo Dark. A questo si sommano i riffs plumbei e i deliziosi solos ricchi di enfasi di Samuel Morales e Sandro Vizcaíno, il sostrato di tastiere, pianoforte e semi-orchestrazioni di Enrique Sierra e le ritmiche imperiose del duo Gil/Mainez.
Che si tratti della rabbuiante “Descent” e della più facile ballata “Two Voices Surrounding” i rimandi, sotto il punto di vista della qualità e del trasporto, alle migliori produzioni di Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride e Sentenced non sono assolutamente azzardati o privi di fondamento. Vi basterà ascoltare l’autunno interiore sciorinato dai sette minuti della finale “On Shores (Of a Dying Sea)” per rendervi conto della facilità con la quale gli Helevorn riescono a dipingere scenari drammatico/epici dai contorni romantici ed affascinanti. Vi è poco altro da aggiungere ad uno dei migliori lavori dell’anno in corso. Lasciarsi trasportare è necessariamente lecito.
Author: Andrea Angelino
Review
Darkside
8/10
28.05.2010
Нет, ну какой на Мальорке может быть дум-метал! Море, солнце, девушки – а тут, сиди, весь в черном, и пытайся нанизывать друг на друга тягучие риффы, да так, чтобы все поверили, что на душе у тебя пасмурно и сыро, а за окном беспрерывно идет мокрый снег… А ведь получилось у испанцев! Да так, что от каких-нибудь меланхоличных финнов (хотя бы тех же SWALLOW THE SUN) или других каких норвежцев (DRACONIAN в самый раз будут, разве что без фемины) не отличить. А потом и отличать не захочется, тем более, что с чувством гармонии у испанцев все настолько в порядке, что альбом их пролетает буквально на одном дыхании, погружая в свою грустно-отрешенную атмосферу и обволакивая смутно знакомыми мелодиями. HELEVORN ничего не придумывают и не нагружают слушателя избыточной музыкальной информацией. Они просто, и без особых затей играют очень мелодичный готик-метал, периодически вспоминая о дум-металлических риффах, как, например, в “To Bleed not to Suffer” или в “Yellow”, но спокойно обходятся и вовсе без них (“Two Voices Surrounding”). Гитарные партии достаточно просты, клавишные – еще проще, голос Хосепа Бруне, кажется, вобрал в себя голоса сотен вокалистов дум- и готик-металлических групп, но все вместе превращается в очень гармоничный и цельный альбом, найти в котором изъян будет не просто, да и не хочется. Ну, вот разве что чистый голос певца значительно уступает его же форсированному вокалу (гроулом его не назовешь), и вставка струнных в упомянутой выше “To Bleed…” выглядит не нужной данью моде. Но все это будет выглядеть мелкими придирками на фоне очень и очень солидного альбома, слушая который я не раз ловил себя на мысли, что хотел бы, чтобы так выглядели современные CREMATORY. Песни “Descent” или “Revelations”, например, выглядят естественным развитием во времени идей, заложенных еще на “Transmigration”… Впрочем, это не упрек ни HELEVORN, ни, тем более, CREMATORY. Просто мысли вслух. А также объяснение почему при всей своей прямолинейности и, честно говоря, вторичности, “Forthcoming Displeasures” воспринимается столь удачным альбомом. Испанцам удалось аккумулировать все лучшее в стиле, и отбросить все лишнее, получив своеобразное «золотое сечение» готик-дум-метал. А это под силу далеко не каждому.
(Диск предоставлен компанией “Solitude Productions”).
Author: old man
Review
Metal Revolution Webzine
7/10
01.06.2010
BadManMood Music, a sub-label of a Russian-based Solitude Productions, have specialized in releasing a whole bunch of different, unique and rare bands esp. from the countries of former Soviet Empire.
However, Helevorn is a bit different band with different attitude. They are coming from Spain and playing this very common blend of Doom/Gothic/Death Metal. Stylistically we’ve heard it all before and in that sense there’s a very little new. Still, Helevorn is much more melodic than many of other bands playing this kind of music, where esp. vocals are very clean and one can sing-a-long. To times the voice of their singer/front man becomes darker, lower and melancholic, but all in all it is very catchy, melodic and understandable.
When it comes to the riffing; I would argue it is slow and quite acceptable. Same goes for the rest of instruments and I think that those are the biggest strengths of this Spanish group. Anyone into European-style Gothic/Death metal and bands as Novembre, Opeth, Katatonia, My Dying Bride or Paradise Lost would love this record. Helevorn even participated on a December Songs – A Tribute to Katatonia with a song called “12” telling me what their main inspirations are coming from.
Author: bato
Review
Friedhof Magazine
7/10
24.05.2010
Aquí tenemos por fin el segundo álbum de nuestros mallorquines Helevorn, una de las bandas más representativas del Doom en nuestro país.
Helevorn fue fundada en los albores de 1999 de la mano de Samuel Morales (guitarra) y Josep Brunet (a la voz). Han participado en varias recopilaciones importantes como en el tributo a Katatonia publicado por Northern Silence; tienen una demo, “Prelude”, y un álbum a sus espaldas, “Fragments”, que fue editado en el 2005 por el desaparecido sello Goi music.
“Forthcoming Displeasures” es el nombre que le dan a su nuevo álbum, y está compuesto por 8 temas con una duración total de casi 54 minutos.
Su música podría ser definida como un Doom gótico y atmosférico, con teclados omnipresentes, ritmos pesados y a medio tiempo.
Helevorn puede recordar en su parte más “doomer” a grupos como Draconian, Swallow the Sun y Shape of Despair; en la parte más gótica puede recordar a bandas de finales de los 90 como Evereve y Darkseed.
Canciones plagadas de gran emotividad y melancolía, para esto se ven ayudadas por la presencia de teclados durante toda la grabación. Lo que hace inevitable recordar a los geniales Golgotha en su primer álbum.
El sonido está muy bien conseguido, las guitarras tienen una poderosa presencia, y las voces son brutales cuando su cantante canta gutural, y cargadas de sentimiento cuando canta con su voz normal. Sin duda Josep Brunet ha hecho un gran trabajo.
En definitiva, un buen álbum de una de las bandas más importantes de nuestra escena nacional, que junto a Autumnal, podría decirse que es de lo mejor que hay.
Author: Azathoth
Review
Flash Magazine
7.5/10
Formatisi nel lontano 1999, a Palma de Mallorca, gli Helevorn se ne escono con il loro secondo album (dopo il loro promo cd “Prelude”, uscito nell’inverno 2000 e il primo immaturo lavoro datato ormai 2005 “Fragments”), che li ha definitivamente consacrati come una delle “migliori band doom metal della Spagna” [a detta di alcune delle più famose riviste musicali]. Dopo un periodo di stop durato 5 anni, il sestetto spagnolo rilascia questa nuova release, per la sempre attenta etichetta russa BadMoodMan Music: sonorità doom/gothic, accompagnate anche da qualche exploit con pianoforte (degne di nota sono le tracce “Two Voices Surrounding” e “Revelations”), marcate atmosfere cupe e lugubri degne dei migliori Katatonia degli esordi (bisogna ammettere che la registrazione di quest’album in Svezia ai Fascination Street Recording Studios, sotto l’egida di Jens Bogren e Johan Ornborg, ha lasciato un’impronta indelebile sul sound: mentre il precedente “Fragments” ha visto la luce in Finlandia, negli Finnvox Studios), un growling ben riuscito, che ricorda molto gli Swallow The Sun, coi quali gli ispanici Helevorn hanno girato la Spagna e il Portogallo nel 2007, caratterizzano questo esaltante lavoro, che di originale avrà ben poco ma che comunque si lascia piacevolmente ascoltare. I riff di chitarra sono sempre ben presenti e andanti di pari passo con l’aggressività vocale di Josep Brunet, come a voler marcare profondamente la malinconia che i tempi passati accrescono, vero tema ricorrente di questo cd. In alcune parti Josep ci delizia anche con la sua voce pulita (“To Bleed Not to Suffer”, “Descent” o “Hopeless Truth” tanto per citarne alcune), sebbene il suo uso risulti abbastanza limitato. Registrato nel 2009, ma uscito agli inizi del 2010, “Forthcoming Displeasures” ha tutte le carte in regola per brillare di luce propria, grazie anche alla voglia di sperimentare sonorità che un poco si distaccano dal loro filone degli inizi: ragazzi, questo disco merita davvero di essere consumato a furia di sentirlo e risentirlo, perché un rapido e superficiale ascolto non gli rende affatto giustizia. Provare per credere! Formatisi nel lontano 1999, a Palma de Mallorca, gli Helevorn se ne escono con il loro secondo album (dopo il loro promo cd “Prelude”, uscito nell’inverno 2000 e il primo immaturo lavoro datato ormai 2005 “Fragments”), che li ha definitivamente consacrati come una delle “migliori band doom metal della Spagna” [a detta di alcune delle più famose riviste musicali]. Dopo un periodo di stop durato 5 anni, il sestetto spagnolo rilascia questa nuova release, per la sempre attenta etichetta russa BadMoodMan Music: sonorità doom/gothic, accompagnate anche da qualche exploit con pianoforte (degne di nota sono le tracce “Two Voices Surrounding” e “Revelations”), marcate atmosfere cupe e lugubri degne dei migliori Katatonia degli esordi (bisogna ammettere che la registrazione di quest’album in Svezia ai Fascination Street Recording Studios, sotto l’egida di Jens Bogren e Johan Ornborg, ha lasciato un’impronta indelebile sul sound: mentre il precedente “Fragments” ha visto la luce in Finlandia, negli Finnvox Studios), un growling ben riuscito, che ricorda molto gli Swallow The Sun, coi quali gli ispanici Helevorn hanno girato la Spagna e il Portogallo nel 2007, caratterizzano questo esaltante lavoro, che di originale avrà ben poco ma che comunque si lascia piacevolmente ascoltare. I riff di chitarra sono sempre ben presenti e andanti di pari passo con l’aggressività vocale di Josep Brunet, come a voler marcare profondamente la malinconia che i tempi passati accrescono, vero tema ricorrente di questo cd. In alcune parti Josep ci delizia anche con la sua voce pulita (“To Bleed Not to Suffer”, “Descent” o “Hopeless Truth” tanto per citarne alcune), sebbene il suo uso risulti abbastanza limitato. Registrato nel 2009, ma uscito agli inizi del 2010, “Forthcoming Displeasures” ha tutte le carte in regola per brillare di luce propria, grazie anche alla voglia di sperimentare sonorità che un poco si distaccano dal loro filone degli inizi: ragazzi, questo disco merita davvero di essere consumato a furia di sentirlo e risentirlo, perché un rapido e superficiale ascolto non gli rende affatto giustizia. Provare per credere!
Author: Samantha Pigozzo
Review
Temple Of Doom Metal
16/20
Five years after “Fragments”, here it is the spanish Helevorn’s second long-duration, of this made through the BadMoonMan label and production it was in charge of Jens Bogren and Johan Örborg (that worked on to the last Paradise Lost’s album, for example).
Looking at and hearing this record, the differences are well well-known relatively to its predecessor; starting for the cover, in which air most wing to the gothic was substituted by the game light/shade that more goes being regularly used in works turned for the projects downtempo; musically, the differences more are wrinkled. In “Fragments”, we met before a work in the line of the Gothic Metal with some doomish inputs. The production was average, not leaving the musics to breathe and to show its potential. For its side, “Forthcoming Displeasures” hugs with more will the lines of the Doom and the Death Metal, with approaches to horizons of Swallow The Sun, Novembers Doom – phase “The Knowing” -, Draconian and Katatonia daily before-98, and the gothic lines meet diluted perhaps more (“Two Voices Sorrounding” is the case closest to the recent past). Along with this everything, exists a significant growth in the quality of the composition of the themes, in its execution and structure, what it could be a more-value for exposition widened to the market of the metal.
Although to be, thus, before a work of Doom/Death, in its essence, where great innovations or attempts of virtuosity do not exist, but where it is possible to hear good meshes of guitar – pulled well to the front -, with a rhythmic section very good and a notable vocal register of Josep Brunet, making to remember Paul Kuhr, in the clean and guturais parts.
The 54 minutes of duration of the album, in its set, guarantee good moments for the fans of the genre, without great moments of fatigue or repetition of the used structures.
When the procession still goes in the begining and although already to be in the market sets of ten of launchings of this lineage, we will be able to affirm that this return of the Helevorn is prominence factor, that must be listened to with attention, because in our opinion we are before a good register inside of this segment.
Review
Doom Mantia
8/10
13.04.2010
Helevorn is an doom metal band from Spain. Helevorn formed in 1999 and released a demo in 2000 titled “Prelude”. Starting out as a typical doom band in the gothic direction, they have become a lot more darker and heavier over the years. I first became aware of the band in 2005 when they released a CD called “Fragments”, this was a giant step in a more doomier direction but keeping the melancholic atmosphere they had in the beginning of their career as a band. By 2007, they were making a name for themselves around Spain and even supported Swallow the Sun on their Spanish and Portugal tours. Moving forward to 2009 and they entered the studio to record this album called “Forthcoming Displeasures”, the end result is a very dark, atmospheric album. The production was handled by Jens Bogren and Johan Ornborg who have worked with Katatonia, Paradise Lost and Opeth.
“From our Glorious Days” is the opening track and already the dark atmospheric mood is set, it blends some kick ass riffs with strong melodies and although its a little predictable, the album is off to a good start. Like most of these kind of doom outfits, they use clean to growling vocals but piano parts are added to the clean vocal parts in the opening track to great effect. “Descent” is up next and its even more gloomy than the opener, there is spoken word passages and crunching doom riffs that are clean compared to a lot of other bands in the genre but Helevorn are all about dark atmospheric music and they achieve that here. “Two Voices Surrounding” begins with a piano intro before the melancholic riffs come in till there is a drastic change with the death growls in the middle of the track. There is some great, almost catchy melodies within all the darkness however and the track seems to gain strength the longer it goes on, to sum up this is one of the highlights of the disc. “To Bleed not to Suffer” takes the album in a slightly heavier direction even though it has the added violin sections, this just adds to the dark intensity of the track. The musicianship is top-notch throughout and this is one of the songs on “Forthcoming Displeasures” where the combination of gothic, melancholic doom and epic driving metal is perfected. “Revelations” sees a change in pace with a more mid-tempo metal attack and stunning guitar harmonics. “Hopeless Truth” brings everything down again to some slow, melodic doom. Again it features more dark guitar passages and spooky piano work, it builds up in tension and atmosphere to a fitting climax.
“Yellow” continues the album in a similar vein with more crunchy guitar riffing and a mournful atmosphere, there is a lot of bands that this can compared to but i am sick of doing that so lets just say, its a typical European doom approach but at the same time, the way its played is pure perfection. The album’s finale is “On Shores (of a Dying Sea)”, it starts off with some musical melancholic beauty before it is washed away with eerie doom riffing and a depressing atmosphere. Aggressive death growls blend with clean, mournful vocals that build the track up into a hell of a highly charged slab of emotional doom metal. Its has a kind of depressing beauty about it that is hard to put into words. When its all over, you are left with a feeling you have heard it all before but you are no less impressed with “Forthcoming Displeasures”. What makes it so impressive is the eerie atmosphere combined with incredible musicianship and the superb production. The album is not perfect but it comes real close, Helevorn are a underrated band but this is a album that deserves to push them to the next level amongst doom metal fans. The way this band is improving, the next album could be a all out masterpiece but for now, “Forthcoming Displeasures” demands your attention.
Review
Doom Metal Front
18.03.2010
Das komplette Gegenteil vom gängigen Sommer, Sonne, Ballermann-Klischee erfüllen die mallorcinischen Düstermänner von HELEVORN auf ihrem taufrischen Release „Forthcoming Displeasures“. Vielmehr decken Josep Brunet (vocs), die beiden Guitarreros Samuel Morales und Sandro Vizcaíno, Enrique Sierra (Piano, Keys), Xavi Gil (drums) sowie Session-Bassist Toni Mainez mit ihrer Musik sämtliche Trademarks des Death Doom, Gothic Metal und Depressive Rock mühelos ab und pendeln in acht ebenbürtigen Songs zwischen sensibler Verträumtheit, tiefster Verzweiflung und zornigem Aufbegehren. Absolutes Clubhit-Potential offenbart dabei das an Position drei befindliche „Two Voices Surrounding“, dessen starker Gothic Touch vom derben Growls durchbrochenwird. Sehr empfehlens- und hörenswert ist darüber hinaus der Titel „Revelation“, der mit dramatisch treibender, partiell von einem Piano aufgelockerter Instrumentalisierung zu fesseln vermag. Produziert und gemixt wurde das zweite Album der Spanier von Jens Bogren und Johan Örnborg, welche u.a. auch die aktuellen Werke von Katatonia, Paradise Lost und Swallow The Sun veredelten. Für Anhänger dieser drei Gengregrößen könnten HELEVORN mit „Forthcoming Displeasures“ eine interessante neue Option darstellen.
Author: Slowmas
Review
Imperiumi
6\10
31.05.2010
Helevorn on taas näitä bändejä, joita sopii tietyissä piireissä kutsua doomiksi turpasaunan uhalla. Silti kaikki tietävät mistä on kyse, jos espanjalaisbändin kakkoslättyä, Forthcoming Displeasuresia, kutsuu gothic doomiksi. Helevorn on siis niitä bändejä, jotka kiskovat illalla auringon nielusta alas, hukkaavat aamuyöllä paratiisin ja löytävät aamulla morsiamensa kuoleman kielistä.
Forthcoming Displeasuresilla ei vältytä tavanomaiselta örinä/puhdas-vaihtelulta, syntikkajousimatoilta, jylhästi hidastelevilta, murheisilta kitaramelodioilta, eikä viulun valitukselta. Levyn kuuntelusta jää vähän sama tunne kuin katsoisi jotain tuttua, siirappista ja katkeransuloista rakkaustarinaa puolinopeudella joltain 90-luvun puolivälin VHS-kasetilta. Juoni on äärimmäisen tuttu ja näyttelijöiden hidastuksissa ylikorostuvat mikroilmeet ovat millilleen kohdallaan. Tragikoominen pohjavire on siis vahvasti läsnä Forthcoming Displeasuresilla.
Bändin ja levyn eduksi on kuitenkin todettava, että niin soundien kuin sävellyksien osalta Forthcoming Displeasures on laadukasta ja huolella tehtyä kamaa. Etenkin Jens Bogrenin avustuksella sorvatut soundit ovat huimasti keskimääräistä Solitude Productions- tai BadMoodMan Music -julkaisua paremmassa kuosissa. Sävellykset ovat niin odotusarvoisia, että loppua kohti levy väkisin väsähtää. From Our Glorious Days taitaa kuitenkin olla levyn paras biisi – muutenkin kuin siitä syystä, että se sattuu olemaan levyn avausraita. Jonain toisena päivänä Helevornin läpitunkeva oppikirjamaisuus saattaisi ärsyttää pahemminkin, mutta harmaan idlauspäivän taustalla se tuntuu verrattain luontevalta musiikilta.
Author: Antti Korpinen
Review
Kaos Guards
26.02.2010
Ce deuxième album des Espagnols de Helevorn est publié sur un label russe, d’où quelques mois de décalage entre la sortie et cette chronique.
Il est extrêmement intéressant à l’occasion de constater que la péninsule ibérique s’avère désormais pourvoyeuse de formations capables de pratiquer d’autres styles que le Hard ou le Heavy traditionnels, voire le Thrash. Fuyant les clichés ensoleillés collés à leur pays, les cinq de Helevorn se dévouent corps et âme pour un Dark Metal aux fortes effluves gothiques.
Ils le pratiquent conformément aux canons de la tradition : chant clair ou guttural, riffs simples, substrat mélodique assuré par les claviers et les arpèges de guitares, basse grondante, avec une mention pour le batteur qui occupe intelligemment l’espace sonore (double grosse caisse, jeu de toms). Les Ibères agencent ces éléments avec une compétence redoutable, une efficacité indéniable, la production s’avérant impeccable de puissance et de clarté. On croit à la sincérité de leur démarche et on se laisse couler sans déplaisir dans les eaux sombres du Léthé.
Sans déplaisir mais sans surprise. Car c’est là que réside la principale faiblesse du groupe : les compositions sont très – trop – classiques, presque prévisibles. Du coup, le tempo lent qui prévaut sur les huit compositions, combiné aux ambiances lancinantes, peuvent créer un certain décrochage au fil de l’audition. Cela dit, les inconditionnels du genre peuvent sans réserve miser sur Helevorn, a fortiori puisqu’une marge de progression existe.
Author: Alain Lavanne
Review
Shapeless Zine
7.5/10
Chi ci legge abitualmente sicuramente si sarа accorto che qui a Shapeless in genere apprezziamo molto le uscite della Solitude Prod. e della sua costola Bad Mood Man: l’etichetta russa, infatti, sa scegliere con oculatezza i propri artisti, cura molto bene il prodotto e in genere non scade mai nella banalitа. Poi, come и ovvio, ci sono dei veri e propri capolavori che si elevano sopra la media di parecchio (l’ultimo album dei Kauan, per esempio) e ci sono anche dei semplici lavori di ‘consolidamento’, chiamiamoli cosм. Intendo quei lavori che magari non sposteranno di un centimetro quanto giа fatto da altri, nй si distinguono per una qualitа davvero eccelsa, ma che comunque mantengono vivo il genere e, nel caso dell’etichetta, confermano il suo status di punto di riferimento per un certo tipo di musica. И il caso degli spagnoli Helevorn, formazione dedita ad un gothic doom abbastanza canonico ma indubbiamente ben fatto, che arrivano con “Forthcoming Displeasures” al loro secondo album.
Come potrete immaginare non и difficile, ascoltando questo CD, fare il nome di Paradise Lost, Draconian, ma anche Swallow The Sun o Novembers Doom; ma questo non significa che la poca originalitа delle composizioni impedisca di apprezzare un buon lavoro di genere come questo. In fondo Josep Brunet и un buon cantante e si destreggia con abilitа tra malinconiche voci pulite e growl; la sezione ritmica и efficace e precisa al punto giusto e sottolinea con forza i ritmi funebri dell’opera; le chitarre di Samuel Morales e Sandro Vizcaнno trascinano riff spessi e plumbei come si conviene e le tastiere di Enrique Sierra riescono ad essere un punto importante all’interno del sound degli Helevorn, senza mai essere fastidiose o invadenti.
Cosм abbiamo una buona manciata di composizioni, ben esemplificate dall’ottima “Descent”, il secondo brano in scaletta, che tiene in equilibrio tutte le caratteristiche del genere presentando un songwriting di tutto rispetto, ben lontano dalle baggianate noiose e lamentose che affossano un genere bellissimo come questo. Molto buona anche la successiva “Two Voices Surrounding”, brano piщ diretto e sostenuto nei ritmi, qualcosa che si avvicina un po’ ai Moonspell di “Irreligious” e che potenzialmente sarebbe potuto essere presentato come singolo di apertura dell’album. И perт nei brani piщ lunghi e articolati che la band sembra trovarsi piщ a suo agio, come per esempio in “To Bleed Not To Suffer” oppure “On Shores (Of A Dying Sea)”, malinconiche e drammatiche riproposizioni del dolore umano in tutta la sua profonditа.
Il resto, come vi dicevo, lo conoscete giа, sia per stile che per tematiche: semplicemente gli Helevorn riescono a farlo meglio di altri, facendo sм che l’ascolto e l’acquisto del loro album non sia affatto tempo e soldi buttati, ma una buona aggiunta nella vostria discografia doom. Ripeto, non aspettatevi il capolavoro senza tempo, un nuovo “Icon” o un “Brave Murder Day”, ma un album di tutto rispetto quello sм. Se poi vi aggiungete la solita ottima cura nella confezione e nei suoni da parte della Bad Mood Man (l’album и prodotto e mixato da Jens Bogren and Johan Ornborg), allora un pensierino sull’acquisto direi che va fatto.
Per ora, quindi, complimenti agli Helevorn che hanno superato brillantemente la prova del ritorno sulle scene, ma siccome siamo un po’ esigenti, li aspettiamo al varco per il fatidico terzo album. Non deludeteci!
Author: Danny Boodman
Review
Inwë[B]zine (extreme-metal.com)
29.06.2010
Troisième opus de Helevorn, on ne peut pas dire que le groupe soit très productif, mais lorsqu’il fait les choses, il les fait bien. Je vais donc voir si c’est encore une fois le cas avec Forthcoming Displeasures.
L’artwork est bien travaillé, une image sombre qui fait transparaître une musique surement symphonique, ou en tout cas très mélodique. On sent la touche gothique à travers la pochette, des personnages nous tournant le dos, entourés d’oiseaux.
From Our Glorious Days commence et, effectivement, la musique est très symphonique avec une guitare mélodique, une guitare rythmique, un clavier très présent pour dépeindre le paysage, une voix gutturale et claire qui tiennent bien la route, bref, tout le monde est présent pour faire un bon album !!
La musique est assez lente, voire lancinante, avec Descent (meilleur morceau selon moi!!), ce qui permet d’entrer facilement dans le monde de Helevorn. Les différents passages sont bien amenés même si la musique n’est pas toujours très recherchée. L’atmosphère générale me plaît et je suis plongé dans leur univers jusqu’à Two voices Surrouding. Pour moi, ce morceau n’a pas sa place sur un album de Doom gothique car beaucoup, beaucoup trop gothique à mon goût. Le morceau n’est pas mauvais mais il a plus sa place sur les compilations de Beauty in Darkness au côté d’Entwine ou de The 69 Eyes que sur un album de Helevorn.
Me voici donc complètement sorti des paysages dépeints par le groupe. Je suis un peu perdu, heureusement que les morceaux suivants m’aideront à réintégrer les ambiances plus Doom qui me conviennent bien mieux avec des morceaux plus lourds comme To Bleed no to Suffer, Yellow, ou plus lents comme Hopeless Truth.
Forthcoming Displeasures est un bon album de doom gothique, on ne peut pas le nier. Tous les ingrédients sont là et sont bien utilisés pour faire une bonne recette. Cependant, le plat manque d’épices !! J’aurais aimé un peu plus de risque ou de recherche de la part du groupe. La musique est parfois un peu linéaire, plus de changements d’ambiance ou plus de différences entre les morceaux auraient été les bienvenus. Le groupe a aujourd’hui une certaine notoriété et on attend du coup, un peu plus de Helevorn.
Je finirai tout de même sur une note positive en disant que l’on plonge facilement dans les atmosphères amenées par Helevorn et que l’on passe un bon moment à leur côté.
Author: dark.pimousse
Review
Atmosfear Magazine
9/10
Выпускающий лейбл можно поздравить с удачным приобретением, ибо новый альбом испанской группы HELEVORN получился выше всяких похвал. Тяжёлый, атмосферный, эмоциональный, великолепный релиз в стиле doom/death metal для всех любителей жанра. Ориентиры: DRACONIAN, SATURNUS, местами может даже KATATONIA. Сведение и мастеринг были сделаны в знаменитой шведской студии Fascination Street (OPETH, PARADISE LOST, HEAVENWOOD), а продюсером альбома выступил Йенс Богрен и Юхан Орнборг. Так что сами понимаете, говорить о плохом качестве тут не приходится. Безусловно, CD ”Forthcoming Displeasures” – это один из самых удачных релизов в каталоге лейбла Solitude Productions. Не верите? Послушайте сами и в этом вы убедитесь, тем более что диск вышел в формате digipack.
Author: Costas
Review
KronosMortus
7.5/10
15.07.2010
Kissé talán fura lehet, hogy éppen a napfényes Spanyolországból származik ez a szomorkás hangvételű Doom/Gothic csapat, de úgy tűnik, nem hely-függő a dolog. Mindenesetre, amit a 8 dalos, 54 perces albumon (amely a 2. teljes alkotásuk) prezentálnak, azt nem nevezném rossznak. Persze azért bizonyos hatások érződnek itt-ott, mint például a MY DYING BRIDE-jellegű szavalás (bár a szövegeket nem olvastam, a dalcímek is némi Aaron hatást tükröznek), de elég jó nótákká gyúrták össze hatásaikat. A stílus korlátait egyébként nem igazán lépik át, van tehát szomorkás dallamvilág, dallamos ének, billentyűk (bár 90-ban a gitároké a szerep!), akusztikus kiállások, ám ami jót tesz a daloknak, az a dinamizmus. Nem csupán csigatempójú ötleteket hallunk, hanem változatosabb ütemeket diktál a dob, még a kétlábgép is előkerül. Egyébként a zenekar már 2001 óta létezik, tehát volt idejük kialakítani a saját hangzásvilágukat, és ez is jelzi, hogy nem kell egy 1 éve alakult csapatnak évente 3 demót kiadnia feltétlenül… A spanyolok mindössze egy demóval rendelkeztek a debütáló album előtt, doomos tempóban csinálják tehát dolgaikat is. A borítókép is ízlésesen sikerült, kíváncsi lennék a teljes digipack designra is.
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ENGLISH VERSION:
It could be a bit strange that this doom/Gothic band with a sad atmosphere is hailing from sunny Spain but seems it’s not a place-dependent thing. Nevertheless, what they present us in these 8 tracks in 54 minutes (which is, by the way, their second full-length material) is not what I’d call bad. Of course, certain influences can be felt here and there like that of MY DYING BRIDE at the monologesque parts (though I didn’t read the lyrics, the track titles also reflect some Aaron influence) but they have forged quite good songs out of their influences. Anyway, they do not cross the borders of the genre so we have sad melodies, clean vocals, keyboards (though in 90 % the guitars are leading!), acoustic passages, but what indeed does good to the sings is the dynamism. We do not only get to hear extremely slow ideas but the drums bring more varied things, even the double bass is used. The band has been around since 2001, by the way, which also indicates that a band with one year history” behind their back should not come up with 3 demos in a year… The Spanish guys released only one demo prior to the debut album, so they are doing their thing in a doomy pace. The cover artwork turned out to be good also, I’d be interested in seeing the entire digipack design.
Author: Stillborn
Review
Metal Daze
20.07.2010
El label ruso Bad Moon Man junto a sus colegas de Solitude Productions se avasallaron sobre la escena Doom / Drone / Dark Metal y en los últimos 5 años editaron una enormidad de discos. Entre ellos algunos muy buenos y otros un tanto mediocres. La mayoría de las bandas editadas provenienen del bloque del este de Europa, pero esta vez se salieron del molde. La banda es de las Islas Baleares (Mallorca, para ser mas exactos) y un Doom Metal con pequeños y sutiles toques góticos es lo que se puede encontrar en este segundo disco de estudio de la banda. Una banda que comenzó allá por 1999 y que antes de sacar este disco editó un Demo (“Prelude”, 2001) y otro disco de estudio (“Fragments”, 2005). Pero vayamos al disco. Como dije, un Doom Metal con toques góticos y una mezcla de voces guturales y voces claras situadas de manera inteligente por aquí y por allá que le caben perfectamente a la base melancólica del álbum. Temas como “Descent”, con su oscuro y lento andar, “Two Voices Surrounding”, con su potencial de hit o “Hopeless Truth” con sus toques de ritmo sureño, son temas de altísima calidad que nos harán revolcarnos en la agonía. Otro tema que merece ser mencionado es el título “Revelations”, que con un dramatismo formidable y elementos de piano convence a diestra y siniestra.
Seguramente se preguntarán si la propuesta de HELEVORN se puede comparar con algo ya conocido y debo decir que sí. Claro, la banda es muy buena, suena muy bien, convence en todos los aspectos, pero no inventa nada nuevo. Y las mayores influencias hay que buscarlas ahí donde están casi siempre en esta clase de música. Un poco del viejo KATATONIA, un toque de SWALLOW THE SUN, bastante de DRACONIAN y de una banda como DOOM:VS, pero también una pizca de PARADISE LOST y MY DYING BRIDE no pueden faltar.
El disco fue producido y mezclado por manos conocidas: Jens Bogren y Johan Örnborg, conocidos por sus trabajos con algunas de las bandas antes mencionadas. El sonido es muy placentero, potente, terrestre. En definitiva un álbum que deja en claro que en Mallorca hay mas que sol, sangría y turistas borrachos. Hay una banda que parece saber lo que quiere, que sabe hacer las cosas bien y que con “Forthcoming Displeasures” editó un disco de pura melancolía con mucho Doom y que ningún amante de este subgénero debería desperdiciar. Realmente ha sido una grata sorpresa.
Author: Walter