2010
09.13
09.13
Формат: CD
Дата Релиза: 13.09.2010
Страна: Финляндия
Стиль: Doom Death
Новейшая работа финского коллектива. Миниальбом “Angel” состоит из трёх частей с одноимёнными названиями и представляет группу в более традиционном doom death metal стиле, чем их дебютная работа, что делает новые песни более целостными не только в концептуальном, но и музыкальном плане. Вместе с тем, группа звучит всё также мрачно и тяжело, как того и требуют каноны жанра: исключительная в своей последовательности жанру работа для всех его ценителей.
Треклист:
1. Angel
2. Angel
3. Angel
Review
Metal.de
4/10
08.09.2010
Auch wenn der Bandname ASTRAL SLEEP auf das zweite TIAMAT-Album verweisen mag, ist diese alte, von Doom-Elementen durchbrochene Schwedentod-Scheibe nur ein äußerst ungenauer und letztlich fehlleitender Richtwert, um dem Klang der vier Finnen nahe zu kommen. Stattdessen doomte es bei der jungen Truppe schon immer deutlich mehr – so auch auf der neuen EP “Angel”.
Den Titel für das bereits im Sommer 2008 aufgenommene Material wählte man übrigens mit einem Augenzwinkern, weil man oft mit einer ebenfalls ASTRAL SLEEP benannten deutschen Gothic-Band verwechselt wurde, die irgendwann einmal ein Stück namens “Angel” aufgenommen hat. Mit dieser ziemlich albernen Aktion schließen die Herren aus der südfinnischen Großstadt Tampere nun sozusagen den Kreis der Verwirrung.
Als wäre das noch nicht genug, sind auch alle drei Stücke auf der halbstündigen EP mit “Angel” betitelt. Die Texte sind dabei mit enorm hohem “Angel”- und “Satan”-Aufkommen und bei durchgängiger Wiederholung ganzer Passagen in den jeweils anderen Stücken so selten dämlich (“Angel, You Worship Satan, But Satan Does Not Need It”), dass man die Ernsthaftigkeit der ganzen Chose in Frage stellen muss.
Ganz so abstoßend wie das Drumherum ist die Melange aus mitunter epischem Doom mit cleanem Gesang und insbesondere bei den beiden ersten Liedern vielen schnellen, dem Death und Black Metal entlehnten Passagen mit Growl-Gesang, nicht. Wären die Gitarren nicht etwas zu dünn und kraftlos, könnte man glauben, hier und da REVEREND BIZARRE zu lauschen, mal ein altes und schwermütiges MY DYING BRIDE-Riff heraus zu hören, sich an das AMORPHIS-Debüt oder eine durchschnittliche Melodic-Black-Metal-Kapelle erinnert fühlen und in mancher Instrumentalsektion gar an PINK FLOYD denken.
Viele nette Versatzstücke also, aber alles wirkt nicht homogen oder im Kontrast reizvoll, sondern etwas sinnlos zusammengeschustert, zu zerfahren, zu unentschlossen. Mit Ausnahme des letzten, von unheilvollem Klagen und Flüstern dominierten Stückes ist er hier kaum wahrnehmbar, der trübe und sich träge dahin windende Fluss, den man beim Hören eines guten Doom/Death-Albums auf einem modrigen Floß einsam befährt.
Solitude Productions sind eigentlich Garant für zumindest leicht überdurchschnittliche Doom-Metal-Veröffentlichungen, aber die vorliegende EP bildet da eine Ausnahme. Unter dem überflüssigen Namens-Quatsch und Texten, die in ihrer Einfältigkeit eigentlich nur Parodie sein können, leidet auch der Eindruck, den die für sich genommen solide und immerhin in Ansätzen Atmosphäre atmende Musik hinterlässt. Das Beste an ASTRAL SLEEPs “Angel” ist letztlich das interessante Bandlogo auf dem Cover.
Author: Christoph.Meul
Review
Hymnes Funeraires
8/10
07.09.2010
After listening to these three songs, I have to say that I am remarkably impressed by them laced together. It is quite rare to find a band that lets the songs mold as an unit without slight difficulties. But it’s like they cool together in the same chords, in the same textures. I might’ve been more impressed by a well defined diversity in the sounds, all of them seem similar, somehow, but the whole album expresses the same bundle of feelings. The atmosphere is cadaverous, beautifully funeral, disturbing, yet beautiful, rotten as it is. The desperation, the frustration, the anger are expressed in an incredibly artistic manner. I’ll attempt to describe every track.
Track one.
The track starts with an energic atmosphere, similar to death metal, orgasmic guitar riffs that only manage to intrude into your ears like a cascade of sounds, convincing in their violence. Incredibly catchy and addictive, the textures are amazingly rough. I can personally associate this with a Heaven Shall Burn passage. It rushes so neatly. As the sound cools forward, a brutal scream only amplifies the unit, but only to mellow out sooner or later with vocals that seem so priest-like and choral, almost sacred in their vibration. The doomish atmosphere starts heightening its contrast, the sounds pour slowly, a simple guitar solo, maddening as it takes over, resonating, vibrating with a slight echo. The feelings change into a similar black metal chaotic mix. It settles with more brutal vocals, terrifying. Yet, in this whole paradox, the following textures sound almost medieval, viking, folk elements present, only to mold into the same outburst of brutality. The harmony is amazing. I can only picture a fortress, humid, dark and frightening. The repetitive, deadly.. or should I say deathly part appears again. The sounds become black metal-ish soon enough, technical, almost similar to …And Oceans, the textures are dirty, groovy, heavy. They drip into a slow rain-like passage, relaxing in its simplicity.. Like the fall of an angel, like a drop of reluctance.. Repetitive, yet convincing, similar to Shape of Despair. Funeral, entirely absorbing, drums beating in announcements, I’d say. The melody isn’t fragmented. The silent, yet completely overwhelming passages mingle with the Darkthrone-like ones.. Hatred is spilling into mellow voices, a melody cooling slower until it echoes out in a quiet end.
Track two.
The second song starts with a vibrating motion, sounds similar to the rattling gurgles of a snake suppurating through emptiness, to a cathedral, to a sacred, yet freaky atmosphere. The silence is massively suggestive.. Then a texture similar to a footstep slams in.. To guide us towards the guitars creeping out a lively sound that keeps increasing in intensity throughout the song.. Hauling into the listener’s veins directly. A deep low growl appears into the sound, the doom metal vocals that never relent pouring their sadness, intense and amazing. They’re convincing even if they’re mediocre, they mold into a scream, as if the ugly has been manipulated into a form of art. The textures are dirty. The rhythm is sad and the drum beats feel as if they’re crying with every harsh pump. Then again, higher tones of vocals protrude, a Finnish accent noticeable in the intonation. It fits perfectly. A sweet moment of silence with acoustic chords settles in. The moments interlace. Calm and unique sounds, yet filled with frustration. Quiet, slow, beautiful. The song takes a sudden turn, a beautiful contrast that draws you in. A voice is rising.. Melodic, macabre, hidden growls melt into the background. The atmosphere shapes like a castle, with angelic voices creeping into nothingness, followed by demonic screams, all of it in a plash of desperation, like a crowd of people that melts into void.
Track three.
Beautiful from the first chords. Calm and similar to an orchestra, silenced out by pinches of chords. The sound is culminating. The guitar sounds traditional, melting into an almost Brasilian perfection. It reminds me of a forest. The darkness shows up, covering the entirety of images. A rough passage bursts, only to disperse in pure, acoustic guitar and a saddened voice, a hymn of despair. But it’s melancholic, like a man with a withered life, gagging with tears and gulps of alcohol, it’s how it resonates in my ears. The silence that follows is beautiful, suggestic religious doubt. Whispers, contrabass getting the shape of a delicious agony, amplified in a menacing passage, screamed out in anger. It calms down like ancient columns, with spitted attempts of vocals, as if the vocal chords are forcing sounds out.. The guitars sing high sounds. A lounge-like silence finds its way in the song, it takes another beautiful, impressive turn. Acoustic sounds, angelic vibrations, whispers, rushed black metal.. Depressive. A marvelous fullness. Also, it gets the form of something somewhat similar to Amesoeurs, post-rock shades, without the vocals. The vocals are angry and dark. The drums become fast.. And faster.. Only to switch to the same calm, to choir-like vocals, simple guitar chords.. And then, silence.
Monotonous, but beautiful.
Author: Zamo
Review
Brutalism
4/5
14.09.2010
Astral Sleep is from Finland and present their 30 minute EP called “Angel” containing the Angel trilogy with three songs named Angel. You might expect some angelic music but actually this is doom/death metal and I guess these guys are more into making fun of this theme than making a serious effort to end up in heaven..
Now to the music.. This EP starts with quite some heavy old school death metal before they make the twist into dark doom metal with clean vocals. The guitars and overall sound of the slower parts reminds me of the “Turn Loose The Swans” album from My Dying Bride and the song just as easily turns into another atmosphere with guitar melodies with a folk touch and black metal like screams. It sounds like they want to pay tribute (or make fun of) a lot of familiar sounding bands because every song is build around certain themes and vocals are obviously exaggerated at times.
This complete mixture of styles is pretty well composed into consistent tracks with a lot of variation and the whole angel mockery and singing about “satan is living in our hearts and god is weak” is pretty humoristic. If you like scandinavian metal, old school death metal and classic doom/death metal and don’t take this all to seriously you should check this out for sure. Especially the songs “Angel” and “Angel” are pretty cool.
Author: Nydoom
Review
Minacious Webzine
This is Astral Sleep’s second EP, they have also released one full-length and one demo. The music is Doom Metal, with emphasis on Metal, this is not classical or epic, this is heavy, guitar driven Doom Metal. There are of course elements of classical Doom Metal and also elements of Sludge. Often it is down tuned heaviness with an Epic touch but every now and then they speed things up a bit with even more distortion and weight. And sometimes they go even further, incorporating elements of Death Metal. Interesting approach, and the cohesion in the music is a testament to their skill. Not a bad album.
Author: Mordant
Review
Metalkrant
10.10.2010
De eerste keer dat ik Astral Sleep hoorde was op het album “Rising of Yog-Sothoth”, het tribute album voor Tergothon, de pioniers van de funeral doom. Maar dit “Angel” was het eerste, echte werk wat ik van deze Finnen te horen kreeg.
Wat vooreerst erg opvalt is dat deze heren drie maal dezelfde lyrics ter handen nemen. Weinig origineel, was mijn eerste gedachte, maar na elke luisterbeurt veranderde mijn mening hierover. Doordat Astral sleep drie keer in een ander jasje steekt, gaande van een meer depressieve sound (en af en toe een death/black sound) tot een meer gothic gerichte sound, krijgen we te horen dat dit gezelschap wat meer in petto heeft dan aanvankelijk lijkt.
Kenmerkend in alle drie de songs is dat Markus H. zijn stem op verscheidene manieren durft in te zetten, waardoor de nummers (die gemiddeld 8 minuten duren) steeds origineel blijven klinken en niet afgezaagd worden.
Ook het experimenteren met gitaren en het toevoegen van de contrabass zorgt vaak voor aangename verrassingen tijdens het beluisteren van dit album.
Conclusie:
Een lekker doom album dat vaak ietwat in een My Dying Bride en Oceans of Sadness richting neigt. Een sterk uitgerekende en uitgebalanceerde mix, die zorgt dat de luisteraar zich tijdens het volle half uur geen minuut verveelt. Een aanrader voor de liefhebbers van het genre.
Author: Gert Maris
Review
Metallized
8/10
Dopo i numerosi passi falsi compiuti ultimamente dalla Solitude Productions, ormai iniziavo a temere il peggio per questa piccola etichetta russa ma, fortunatamente per loro, le aspettative sulle nuove leve iniziano a diventare realtà, e molti dei giovani progetti scritturati divengono delle promettenti realtà da tenere d’occhio con molta attenzione.
Gli Astral Sleep debuttavano due anni addietro con Unawakening, che forse vantava la copertina più brutta degli ultimi anni in ambito metal, ed oggi si ripresentano sulle scene grazie al singolo Angel, che racchiude tre tracce per oltre mezz’ora di ascolto. La band proviene dalla Finlandia – quasi sempre sinonimo di qualità – ed è attiva dal 2005 con un paio di demos. Per chi non li conoscesse già, gli Astral Sleep ci propongono un doom metal moderno, potentissimo e molto fresco, e che dopo il primo ascolto stenta ad uscire dalle orecchie dell’incauto doomer di turno.
Il primo brano ha lo stesso effetto di una martellata sul dito che qualche istante prima aveva schiacciato il play, ed è caratterizzato da un riffing schiacciasassi e ben supportato da una registrazione decisamente professionale che rende onore ad ogni strumento, mettendo in primo piano l’ottimo lavoro delle chitarre del duo Markus/Rolle. Questa composizione alterna parti tirate al limite del death metal con parti più pesanti, tipicamente doom, sulle quali si erge la metamorfica voce del singer Markus, abilissimo nel passare dallo screaming al growl fino ad un cantato pulito dalle timbriche altisonanti.
Ottima anche la seconda traccia – anch’essa intitolata Angel – la quale risulta inizialmente lenta e sulfurea, ma successivamente abbastanza varia e piena di cambi di tempo ed atmosfera, oltre ad essere caratterizzata da un ottimo sound di chitarra capace di supportare egregiamente i mille umori che si alternano lungo gli otto minuti di durata. Il terzo brano è intitolato Angel – tanto per variare un po’ – molto lento e che alterna parti atmosferiche a parti molto più pesanti, dalle quali emerge l’influenza degli ultimi Black Sabbath – in special modo per le partiture vocali – mentre le chitarre qui trovano il loro momento di massima forma espressiva, alternando parti arpeggiate a riffoni al limite del thrash.
I trenta minuti scorrono via molto velocemente lasciando un piacevole retrogusto, ma dopo ripetuti ascolti la sensazione è quella di aver ascoltato un lavoro un po’ dispersivo e troppo eterogeneo. Sfortunatamente non conosco il debutto della band ed il loro comportamento sulla lunga distanza, ma posso sicuramente affermare che c’è davvero tanta carne al fuoco e che – se imboccheranno quella giusta – faranno tanta strada ancora..
Author: Gabriele Fagnani “Furio”
Review
Pavillon666
8/10
18.10.2010
La Finlande a toujours été une des terres promises du metal. À la fois grande consommatrice et productrice de Death Metal talentueux avec des groupes comme Amorphis et Kalmah, ou de Metal plus orienté symphonique en ce qui concerne de célèbres formations comme Nightwish ou Apocalyptica ou même de Black Metal parmi le plus respectable de la scène avec des combos comme Horna, Impaled Nazarene, Beherit ou Archgoat, on peut bien le dire, la Finlande en sus de toucher à tout, est aussi une terre gageant la qualité musicale.
Mais oublions un instant les styles sus-cités et concentrons nous un tant soit peu sur un genre tout aussi fameux en ce pays glacial au sein duquel de terribles formations sévissent aujourd’hui telles que Swallow The Sun, Aarni ou Dolorian, le Doom.
Astral Sleep est un groupe qui, en dépit de sa jeunesse, sévit dans le milieu depuis 2004 avec sérieux et non sans un certain talent. Après un premier album paru grâce à Solitude Productions, le groupe nous revient cette année avec un nouvel EP sobrement nommé “Angel”, mêlant l’efficace au conceptuel pour nous offrir à nouveau un opus qui fait mouche !
Angel étend ses trois différentes pistes sur un peu plus d’une demi-heure d’écoute, reprenant les mêmes paroles pour les trois morceaux, la structure musicale étant la seule différence notable. La première partie débute par un riff massif et très entraînant avant de laisser place à une rythmique plus lente et imposante typique du genre, accentuée de chant clair. Avant de se délecter entièrement du contenu, certaines choses sont à noter. En premier lieu, la production du D-Studio est très bonne. Chaque instrument distille ses parties avec une clarté qui impose un certain respect envers le travail de Jarno Hännimen : Les guitares sont limpides et délivrent avec autant d’aisance à l’écoute leurs riffs glaciaux ou leurs parties mélodiques tandis que la basse se veut massive et imposante devenant le digne renforcement de ses soeurs à sept et six cordes et non pas un simple support. Les blasts de Jiri pyörälä et autres rythmiques s’enchaînent sans concession avec une maîtrise certaine sans avoir un son trop clinique ou trop organique et les chants de Markus Heinonen et de Jaako Oksanen varient allégrement du growl au chant clair, donnant sur chacun des trois titres un aspect différent aux lyriques malgré leur nature commune.
Bien entendu, faire des morceaux de huit à onze minutes sur un album peut être dangereux pour l’auditeur et sa lassitude qui ne demande qu’à pointer le bout de nez, heureusement des changements de rythme, des breaks et même des ambiances différentes entre chaque morceau de cette tryptique sont au rendez-vous, formant une agréable homogénéité et une succession logique entre chaque passage durant toute l’écoute. Si la première partie offrait une dynamique certaine, la deuxième en revanche ralentira le tempo et offrira une teneur plus sinistre et oppressante dans le fond tandis que le chapitre final, en dépit de son introduction très lente et macabre évoluera petit à petit afin de retrouver l’énergie du début et clore avec succès cet EP.
Rien n’est donc laissé au hasard et après la furie finale on ne peut que se dire que nous disposons là d’un peu plus qu’un EP, l’oeuvre d’un groupe qui fera parler de lui avec le temps.
Le quatuor offre donc un opus de qualité, reprenant les codes du genre tout en les imprégnant de leur “pâte” afin de créer une construction musicale de qualité, dotée d’une âme et tout simplement savoureuse.
Author: Valentheris
Review
Gitarzysta Magazyn
7/10
Upraszczając, doom metal z Finlandii obraca się albo w mocno pogrzebowych klimatach albo też na poletku, na którym nieusuwalne piętno odcisnął Reverend Bizarre i kontynuatorzy jego dzieła, w rodzaju Lord Vicar. Astral Sleep zdecydowanie bliżej do tego drugiego, tradycyjnego nurtu. Z drugiej strony jednak, choćby z racji zastosowanych death metalowych elementów, nie można w prosty sposób zamknąć go w tej właśnie szufladzie.
“Angel” to trzyutworowa epka, wydana dwa lata po debiutanckim albumie, który również ukazał się nakładem Solitude Productions. Niestety, nie miałem okazji się z nim zapoznać, trudno mi więc określić, jak w praktyce wygląda muzyczna ciągłość między tymi materiałami. W przypadku recenzowanego mini kapela zastosowała całkiem ciekawy zabieg, z którym jak do tej pory chyba się nie spotkałem. Krążek zawiera trzy muzyczne interpretacje tego samego tekstu, napisanego przez wokalistę kapeli. Tekst jest raczej grafomański i dziecinny, nie mówiąc o tym, że na początku anioł dowiaduje się, że “god is dead”, a na końcu, że “god lives but he’s weak”. Nie w tym jednak rzecz. Żeby bowiem było ciekawiej, owe interpretacje polegają na tym, że każdy z utworów został stworzony przez innego członka zespołu. Dzięki temu, kawałki różnią się od siebie, choć oczywiście wciąż pozostają w ramach konkretnej stylistyki.
“Angel” otwiera świetne, mocne, konkretne death metalowe wejście, nawiązujące zarówno do wzorcowych bandów z lat ’90, jak i tego, co dziś tworzy choćby Novembers Doom. Dalej dzieje się więcej, choć początkowy motyw jeszcze się przewija. Zaskakują czyste wokale w stylu niezastąpionego Alberta Witchfindera ze wspomnianego Reverend Bizarre, dobrze zgrane z growlingiem. To chyba najbardziej urozmaicony kawałek, który garściami czerpie z klasycznej doom/death metalowej spuścizny, ale nie cofa się także zarówno przed epickimi, jak i niemal black metalowymi fragmentami. Druga kompozycja rozpoczyna się z kolei niczym typowy melancholijny doom metal, aby dalej rozwinąć się w coś zdecydowanie nieprzewidywalnego. Muzycy z dużą łatwością żonglują pomysłami i wychodzi im to naprawdę dobrze. Totalnym zaskoczeniem jest choćby bajkowo- progresywna partia w połowie czwartej minuty, czy znakomite funeralowe zakończenie. Ascetyczny utwór numer trzy kontynuuje pogrzebowe klimaty, a kapela trzyma pomysły w ryzach i nie bawi się już w kameleona.
Całość sprawdza się nadzwyczaj dobrze. Przede wszystkim, prawdziwym bohaterem “Angel” jest stojący za mikrofonem Markus Heinonen. Dzięki niemu to, wokalnie, jeden z najciekawszych materiałów, jakie ostatnio słyszałem w tym gatunku. Growling, skrzek czy wszelkiego rodzaju czyste partie – nie ma dla niego rzeczy niemożliwych, choć wysokie rejestry w jego wykonaniu mogą irytować.
“Angel” to bardzo dobra robota. Ze znanych elementów Astral Sleep stworzył coś naprawdę unikalnego na mocno dziś zatłoczonej doom metalowej scenie. Na pewno rozejrzę się za debiutem i będę miał oko na ich kolejne wydawnictwa.
Author: Szymon Kubicki
Review
Aristocrazia Webzine
15.11.2010
La Finlandia ha un rapporto molto più che intimo col doom, gli Astral Sleep fanno parte di una delle scene più imporanti e produttive, loro stessi con il debutto di due anni fa, “Unawakening”, avevano dato segno di voler entrare e farne parte dando un apporto considerevole e seppur in parte arriva adesso la prima conferma con l’uscita dell’ep “Angel”.
Formato da tre lunghi episodi tutti a titolo omonimo, i trenta minuti di musica che il quartetto di Tampere propone sono evoluti rispetto al recente passato, molto più vari e meno uniformi rispetto ai classici standard del doom melodico mostrando come il riffato delle due asce, Markus e Rolle Heinonen, sia divenuto più dinamico e ricco riuscendo a muoversi egregiamente fra i vari filoni interni al genere.
Se infatti il primo capitolo è di stampo esclusivamente o quasi classic doom, la seconda traccia si dirige su territori progressivi sfruttando numerosi cambi di tempo e avvalorandosi di un apporto atmosferico suadente che si diletta a dar manforte all’umore cangiante lasciando all’atto conclusivo il tempo di esprimersi in maniera più maligna e pesante.
Quello che ne vien fuori è in pratica una release che di black, death e thrash adorna l’attimo per renderlo oscuro più che aggressivo o onirico più che greve, non esiste staticità sonora nè emotiva.
Ruolo fondamentale gioca la voce di Markus abile nel districarsi con un growl/scream capace di intersecarsi all’interno delle canzoni con una cattiveria indiscutibile ma altrettanto intenso nell’evocare sensazioni più alte e dal retrogusto amaro qualora decida d’imporsi con il cantato pulito.
“Angel” è un ep da ascoltare e riascoltare, a ogni passaggio se ne scopre un particolare che ne valorizza ancor più l’esistenza, non si può far altro che farlo girare a ripetizione nello stereo nell’attesa di un nuovo full, lo step successivo potrebbe essere un album da incorniciare.
Author: Mourning
Review
Kronos Mortus
8/10
16.11.2010
A diverse work in it’s own genre, doom fanatics won’t be dissapointed. To say nothing of Solitude Productions being the current representator of quality doom metal.
Ha egy banda ismert, netán klasszikus lemez címét veszi fel zenekar névnek, akkor abból már rendszerint lehet következtetni az általuk képviselt zenei világra, műfajra. Ahogy a névből kiderül, ez a finn banda a második Tiamat korong címében „keresztelkedett meg”.
2004-ben alakultak és eddig egy demo (Astral Sleep – 2005, egy Ep (ugyanaz, mint a demo csak egy intro-val illetve outro-val megfejelve – 2006) valamint egy album (Unawakening – 2008) fűződik nevükhöz. Idei alkotásuk az Angel szintén egy Ep, mely három számot tartalmat, mintegy 32 percben. Maguk a számok nem frissek, lévén 2008-ban kerültek rögzítésre a D-Studio-ban, Klaukkala-ban. Mindhárom dal az Angel címet kapta, gondolom egyfajta koncepció köré épülnek a nóták. Ha valaki a Tiamat dallamos, gótikus death/doom-jára asszociál csalódik, hiszen a finnek szerzeményei összetettebbek, hosszabbak, mint a svédek korai felvételei.
Az első Angel-ben klasszikus, svéd hatású riffek ugyanúgy akadnak, mint black metalos dobtémák, ellenben nem tartalmaznak gót hatásokat. Markus Heinonen gitáros/énekes remekül variálja a mély hörgéseket a dallamos énekkel, ez utóbbiak a Candlemass hatását tükrözik. Megállapítható az is, hogy a finnek által képviselt muzsika merít a funeral doom-ból, (talán nem meglepő, hogy szerepelnek a Rising Of Yog-Sothoth – Tribute To Thergothon korongon), a szomorúság, lehangoltság erre enged következtetni, de súlyosság terén nem érik el pl. a honfitárs Skepticism szintjét. A második Angel hagyományos doom darab borult hangulattal, akusztikus hangszerekkel megtámogatva, a harmadik Angel-ben a már fentebb említett funeral doom mellett korai My Dying Bride illetve csipetnyi ambient hatások is feltűnnek. Hangzást tekintve abszolút rendben van a kiadvány, súlyosan szólal meg az Ep.
Finnország híres a kiváló doom bandáiról és ez alól az Astral Sleep sem kivétel. Még ha nem is olyan zseniális, mint az Unholy vagy a Skepticism, semmi okom panaszkodni a hallotakra.
Author: Dr. Feelgood
Review
Atlantis Tales
8/10
Дебютную полноформатную работу ASTRAL SLEEP “Unawakening” и их новый миньон “Angel” разделяют два года – за это время группа успела сменить барабанщика, поучаствовать в трибьюте THERGOTHON “Rising Of Yog-Sothoth” и начать запись второго альбома под рабочим названием “Visions”. На миньоне, призванном скрасить жизнь поклонников творчества этой финской команды в ожидании нового альбома, можно услышать трилогию “Angel” общей длительностью чуть более получаса. Музыка ASTRAL SLEEP заметно ускорилась в отличие от дебюта, который находился на грани дум/дэта и фьюнерал дума. Теперь это жесткий и довольно быстрый дум/дэт, но c все той же гнетущей и мрачной атмосферой фильма ужасов (особенно чувствуется на 2nd Angel), присущей “Unawakening”. Не последнюю роль в этом играет наличие не только чистого вокала и гроула, традиционных для стиля, но и скрима. В завершающей трилогию 3rd Angel есть небольшие намеки на фьюнерал, но все сомнения сметают последние две минуты – быстрый и прямолинейный рифф, характерный даже не для дума, а скорее для депрессивного блэка, обрывается лишь за несколько секунд до завершения композиции, сменяясь эфемерным акустическим проигрышем. В итоге “Angel” – хорошая и интересная работа, классика дум/дэта, без особых экспериментов, но и нелишенная собственного почерка и индивидуальности.
Author: Atlantis
Review
Diztorted Dimension
27.10.2010
Это не развитие, не какое-либо последовательное изменение, но просто перерождение! Музыка данного EP совершенно не похожа на дебютник группы, что в общем-то, радует, ибо новый материал свеж (хоть и во всём классичен) и выполнен достойно. Открывается диск, более чем, убедительным условно мелодичным Death metal фрагментом на высокой скорости, в красивом миноре, и даже более – апокалиптичном строе. Такие фрагменты и далее присутствуют на диске, и они перемежаются тормознутым Doom metal’ом. В бóльшей мере, это Epic Doom, но встречается и тяжеляк, а стоунер с дебютника тут незримо присутствует. Для таких мест приходит в голову аналогия с Cathedral.
С полиграфией опять «беда». Одна фотка с разворота с невнятным силуэтом современно одетого финского парня на фоне зимней природы совершенно не концептуальна и сделана на скорую руку. Её фрагменты раскиданы на обложку и другие страницы буклета. Аналогично, и фото группы – четверо в белых халатах… Приведён некий текст об ангелах (в понимании этих молодых людей), который также присутствует в песнях. Собственно, весь этот мини альбом «посвящён» ангелам и являет собой 3 песни с одноимённым названием. Лично я не понял логики рассуждения и мировоззрения автора по предмету обсуждения. Смахивает на сугубо личностный поток («кучу-малу») сознания.
Итого, данный релиз чисто музыкально хочется выделить среди множества пустоватых поделок. Основательно, убедительно, не заезженно, но по канонам. Как-то так.
Author: Valentii
Review
Blastbetat
7/10
29.10.2010
Astral Sleep is een Fins doom metal gezelschap. Zij komen uit Tampere, een stad waar meerdere bands uit de Finse metalscene vandaan komen.
Finland groeit tegenwoordig uit zijn voegen qua metalreleases, en ik ben blij dat daar ook nog doom en black metal tussen zit.
Tijd om Astral Sleep eens te beluisteren.
De plaat begint verrassend met een beukend stuk doom metal. Loodzwaar en gevuld met dubbele bas partijen. De luisteraar krijgt gelijk een mooie opener te verduren. Na deze pakkende intro luidt het album de tragere kant van Astral Sleep in. Dit doen ze zonder problemen, alleen vrij minimalistisch. De cleane vocalen zijn niet toonvast en bevatten slecht Engels.
Astral Sleep brengt een vrij vreemde manier van doom metal. Overlopende passages van traag naar snel. Black metal gezang afgewisseld door cleane vocalen en lage doomgrunts. Technische variaties en simplistisch gespeelde stukken. Niet gek als je weet dat de leden van Astral Sleep in zowel doom als black metal projecten spelen naast hun bezigheden in Astral Sleep.
Het mooie aan deze plaat is dat er met een variabel aantal instrumenten word gewerkt. Zowel de zevensnarige gitaar als de contrabas komen voorbij. Een mooie toevoeging aan de muzikale capaciteiten van Astral Sleep. Deze EP is zeker geen negatieve release geworden. De muziek is prima gecomponeerd alleen voldoet deze nog niet aan alle eisen waar een volwaardige doom metal release aan zou moeten voldoen. Dit puntje van kritiek ligt het hen voornamelijk in de cleane zang en de stukken waarop (te) simplistisch word gespeeld.
Author: Gruis
Review
Headbang
7/10
Tornano a deliziarci i finnici Astral Sleep, nel 2008 avevano rilasciato il primo full-lenght dal titolo Unawakening con risultati eccellenti (per me uno dei migliori album di quell’annata), ed ora è giunto finalmente il turno dell’ep Angel.
Che gli Astral Sleep non fossero un gruppo convenzionale lo si era già capito, ora i nostri continuano a mischiare le carte offrendo un tipo di musica che non lascia mai un punto fermo. Se prima i ritmi doom la facevano da padroni ora possiamo aggiungere svariate altre influenze e moltiplicarle per i tre atti a nome Angel. I finnici prendono per mano l’ascoltatore e lo portano in un mondo “nuovo”, stupiscono ed incantano e già da ora possiamo solo scommettere su come affronteranno le prossime release.
Interessante l’idea di realizzare questo ep (mezz’ora di durata poi, non siamo distanti dal considerarlo vero e proprio full), pieno d’idee in tre capitoli che possono anche essere visti come un’unica, lunga canzone.
La prima in scaletta è per chi scrive un piccolo capolavoro di metal estremo melodico. Uno splendido inizio classic doom spiana la strada a cambi di tempo e partiture melodiche di efferata raffinatezza (grande lavoro di basso e momenti che sfiorano il death metal). Infine, se c’è qualche adepto dei Septic Flesh sintonizzato avrà sicuramente di che godere (sentire la lead per credere).
Il sound è perfettamente bilanciato e rende l’ascolto davvero molto molto fluido, i restanti venti minuti passano così troppo velocemente.
La seconda canzone recita un ruolo pacato e dalle tinte “progressive” per un altro colpo riuscito in totale suadenza e oniricità. La terza invece è la più diabolica e funerea, risultato ottenuto non certo con violenza ma proprio con dei versi molto “evil” e lente note horrorifiche, insomma un’altra piccola lezione di classe da parte degli Astral Sleep.
Seguiteli e adorateli per il loro oscuro lavoro, questi ragazzi si meritano la giusta approvazione e sono sicuro che già dalla prossima uscita riusciranno a far circolare il proprio nome per bene come è giusto che sia.
Author: DukeFog
Review
Imperiumi
6
12.11.2010
Siitä on lähemmäs viisi vuotta, kun arvostelin tamperelaisyhtye Astral Sleepin ensidemon. Tuolloin bändin esittämässä hidastelussa tuntui olevan kyse osittain tietoisesta rajojen rikkomisesta ja jopa provosoinnista, mutta vuosien varrella Astral Sleep tuntuisi kasvaneen pikkuhiljaa vinosta suoremmaksi. Ei bändi tosin edelleenkään mikään aivan tavanomainen tapaus ole. Siitä kertoo jo kolmen biisin mini-cd Angel, jonka kaikki raidat on nimetty Angeliksi.
Angelin konsepti onkin itse asiassa varsin mielenkiintoinen. Levy tarjoaa kolme varsin erilaista biisiä, joille yhteistä on lähinnä hidas tempo ja sanoitukset. Avausraita sekoittaa varsin komeasti death metalia ja perinteisempää doomia ollen välillä keskitempoista kuolonrytyytystä ja välillä uljasta doomia. Lähes 12-minuuttisessa biisissä ehtii tapahtua paljon, mutta kappale pysyy silti hyvin kasassa. Markus Heinonen osoittaa lisäksi tässä kappaleessa olevansa kyvykäs laulaja. Toinen biisi on suoraan sanottuna sisaruksiaan tylsempi, vaikka puolivälissä kuultavan oudohkon kitarasooloväliosan jälkeen kappale vähän pirteämmäksi taipuukin. Kolmosraita on puolestaan väliosan akustisine kitaroineen ja puhelauluineen vähän kuin doomimpaa Empyriumia, jos paikoin ei olla kaukana normaalista death/doomistakaan. Biisi on ehkä hieman raskasta kuunneltavaa, mutta sen yksittäiset elementit ovat silti varsin kelvollisia. Päätösveisu on levyn kappaleista se, josta olisin ensimmäisenä tunnistanut demon aikaisen Astral Sleepin – jos tämä jollekin sattuu olemaan erityinen meriitti.
Vaikka Angel lankeaa välillä tavanomaisiin ja irrallisiin teemoihin, on levyn hysteerisyydessä (kakkosraita), kokeilevuudessa (kolmosraita) ja jylhyydessä (ykkösraita) silti vetovoimaa, joka nostaa lätyn selvästi plussan puolelle. Astral Sleep tuntuisi aina olleen bändi, joka uskaltaa, mutta nyt se osoittaa olevansa myös bändi, joka osaa.
Author: Antti Korpinen
Review
Metal Maniacs
24.11.2010
I’ve been a huge fan of this Finnish death-doom act for a few years now and almost pissed my jeans the other week when I found out that they had this EP out. Consisting of three epic parts, each titled “Angel”, this album comes across as an epic trilogy similar to The Lord of The Rings, where each track takes on a different mood and journey but the theme continues throughout and the final track serves as a feeling of resolution and the first track as the point of conflict.
The opening “Angel” bludgeons you instantaneously with it’s arsenal of drowning drum pounds and anvil weighted riffs into oblivion for the first minute before going into a melodic and harmonious doom cavern of purely blackened and dismal experiences. Here the band shows some a bit more aggression and energy in their delivery with scorching tempos breaking up the slow-mo doom parts and keeping the track sucking into its whirlpool of abysmal damnation and hopelessness. The vocals are broken upon between the death-doom growling vocals, although completely coherent, and incredibly sorrowful and melodic clean vocals that make my spine tremble.
The second incarnation of “Angel” shows a transition from the initial hurricane of desperation and chaos into a more traditional pace of the death-doom style, but in my honest opinion this is more like symphonic blackened doom metal if anything. The tempos may have slowed down a bit more on this track, but those riffs continue to cycle through and hit you hard and fast repetitively like violent waves against a shore after a massive storm (hence the first track). The entire track, and album as whole is this symphonic dark metal trilogy with each of these three tracks serving as one of the three epic novels in the series.
The final piece of the Angel” trilogy is the slowest and shows an almost light at the end of that crevasse or entity that initially overwhelmed your sense and flung you overboard. The first half of the track is almost acoustic in presentation and then we go into an epic doom style, even the vocals sound more epic doom and almost don’t fit with the other two tracks until the last 2 minutes approach and that melodic and sad voice speaks to us once again. At this final point the riffs come in, but are not so heavy this time and are melodic and distorted, more treble than bass tones. At first this track was going to be the one that I didn’t care for, but when listening to the album as a whole or in parts it becomes clear that it does and the sounds and style comes back around full circle to completion.
I’m no closet fan of this style and really enjoy similar acts: Evoken, Esoteric, The Howling void, Ahab, Ophis; but I also have to say that this release stands out as more of it’s own than fitting perfectly into the genre. Their first album, Unawakening, was more atmospheric gloom and more of a dreamlike or surreal experience, but every bit as heavy or maybe more so than this one, so Angel shows a progression that I’m impressed with and am really looking forward to hearing them take direction. You cannot pass up the chance to hear this band, these guys define heavy and there’s every bit of anthem and chaos that one could want or need in their sound.
Author: Janet Willis
Review
Doommantia
7.5/10
10.10.2010
I have always had a fascination with this band from Finland ever since they released “Unawakening” in 2008, something about them makes them so completely unique within the world of Death/Doom Metal. The concepts behind their songs are always interesting and musically they are incredibly bleak and above all else, heavy! Must be something in Finland we don’t know about because this country seems to have a endless supply of original and unique sounding bands. This EP called “Angel” though is great but at first I had a hard time taking it seriously, three songs which are all basically different interpretations of the same theme with lyrics that are so cheesy, Spinal Tap would be proud to use them. I question if they are even taking this seriously and if its just a bit of fun for them or maybe they just had too much time on their hands, whatever the lyrics in the booklet along with the band picture showing the guys dressed in white and looking like a early 80′s New Wave band had me confused and worried at first. However after several spins, the magic of this disc is unleashed and its a pulverizing example of how to fuse together Death Metal and Doom Metal into a single stream.
The band used the same set of lyrics for all three versions of “Angel” and the music for each track is written by a different member of the band. The first of the three part trilogy is the most intense musically of the three parts, it crushes you with a succession of pulverizing riffs before it transforms itself into a dark menacing Doom Metal track with hints of strong melodies, like a mix of My Dying Bride, Swallow The Sun and Amorphis. This track covers a lot of ground, musically its great, lyrically though I couldn’t help but laugh at lines like “She Cuts Herself To Get A Contact, The Devil Tells Her What To Do” and “Satan Lives In Our Hearts, God Lives But He Is Weak”. Its not exactly thought-provoking material but maybe that is the point of it. The inclusion of aggressive parts and Death Metal elements stop this from being too depressive while the Doom elements are kept in small doses, this turns out to be a smart move on there part as it keeps the track interesting for its 11 minutes.
The second part of “Angel” is an transition from the Death/Doom hybrid of the first part into a more tradition Gothic Death/Doom approach. It moves from Black Metal influenced passages to Progressive Doom sections blending symphonic elements with a brooding intensity. The track gently progresses to a jarring ending of shrieking violence. The third part of “Angel” is the most Doom track of the three with atonal doom riffing that is sparsely played compared to the other two tracks, it begins with a Gothic vibe and builds into a Epic-Doom monster. While the track has some crushing riffage, it also seems the be a little bit of a let-down after the previous two parts of “Angel” but it does bring the musical trilogy around in a full circle. After just 30 minutes, the EP is over and it does make you wish it was just that bit longer. This EP is nowhere as atmospheric as the “Unawakening” so in that respect I found it disappointing but what it lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in some fine riffing. The production is gargantuan and the musicianship is great without being overly technical. “Angel” is a album you can’t just listen to once and then dismiss it, its a grower of a release that will satisfy you more with each spin, still can’t get over those lyrics though
Review
Hardsounds
8/10
21.10.2010
Dopo due anni di lunga ed interminabile attesa tornano a deliziare le nostre orecchie i finnici Astral Sleep che ci regalano il successore dello strabiliante e fortunatissimo album di debutto ‘Unawakening’. Sin dagli esordi tutti si erano resi conto di trovarsi di fronte ad un gruppo che definire convenzionale è un errore macroscopico. Ma ascoltando questo nuovo lavoro chiunque sarà costretto ad ammettere che il noto adagio “genio e sregolatezza” è il termine più adatto a definire la natura degli Astral Sleep. Se nel debutto c’era un’assoluta dominanza dei ritmi doom, in questo nuovo lavoro i nostri, come degli autentici camaleonti, riescono nuovamente a scombinare tutto pescando a piene mani da tutto il genere estremo per dare anima e corpo a questo nuovo ep, un vero e proprio “viaggio allucinante” in un mondo “sconosciuto”. Ci troviamo di fronte ad un lavoro diviso, in maniera a dir poco geniale, in tre capitoli che ci offre mezz’ora di ottima musica. Gli amanti del metal estremo melodico troveranno piena soddisfazione ascoltando la prima traccia che, dopo un inizio in pieno stile doom lascia campo aperto a riff melodici e cambi di tempo di alta classe e di sopraffina raffinatezza con delle sferzate di basso che toccano persino i lidi del death. La seconda traccia potrebbe essere, idealmente, dedicata agli amanti delle sonorità “progressive”, ma che non disdegnano ascoltare musica suadente ed onirica. Ma la vera ciliegina sulla torta arriva ascoltando il terzo diabolico ed altamente funereo e sulfureo capitolo, un autentico concentrato di riff che potrebbero sicuramente essere utilizzati per delle serie di film horror. Per concludere non resta che consigliare a tutti di ascoltare questo piccolo capolavoro suonato egregiamente e prodotto in maniera a dir poco magistrale per poter toccare con mano tutta la classe e la maestria del combo finnico.
Author: Donato Tripoli
Review
Metal Daze
3.5/5
10.12.2010
Si al Doom Metal lo aceleramos un poco en algunas partes (los grandiosos Paradise Lost hacían eso en los comienzos) tendremos una interesante mixtura entre instrumentaciones densas y caóticas con arrebatos de insurrección sonora.
Los fineses ASTRAL SLEEP así lo han interpretado y en su nuevo trabajo lo ponen en práctica así como en su forma de componer a lo largo de su corta carrera.
Tres canciones componen este EP, las cuales están tituladas de la misma manera (Angel) pero divididas en tres partes, donde claro, la duración excede el de las canciones “tipo”.
Son treinta minutos de pensante oscuridad, de filosas guitarras apuntalando la propuesta (My Dying Bride y el viejo Paradise Lost, con algo de Katatonia se pueden tomar como referencias), de una variada interpretación (una Intro decididamente Death Metal da la bienvenida) y una sólida performance de todo el grupo.
Me quedo con “1st Angel”, el tema que da comienzo al álbum, por tener los mejores momentos (las voces limpias copan la parada) y los cambios de ritmo enriquecen el camino a seguir a partir de allí.
Lo de ASTRAL SLEEP no descolla, pero si tiene sus aciertos y meritos, sin dudas, sobre todo a la hora de desdoblar su estilo para que no sea demasiado lineal y que la escucha se vuelta mas que interesante, sobre todo habiendo tantas bandas del estilo dando vueltas.
Author: Gustavo Piccini
Review
Darkside
6/10
23.12.2010
Миньон финского квартета Astral Sleep, как и дебютный альбом «Unawakening», был издан с некоторым запозданием – «Angel» был записан группой еще в 2008 году, но свет релиз увидел в 2010. Так что пока мы тут медитируем над судьбой падших ангелов, есть вероятность того, что угрюмые северные парни уже подготовили что-то новое и более объемное. Пока же довольствуемся малым – тремя композициями, объединенными одной сквозной темой, что позволяет назвать этот релиз концептуальным со всеми вытекающими последствиями.
Не слишком избегая аналогий с одним весьма известным альбомом Tiamat, участники Astral Sleep исполняют техничный death doom, правда, с некоторыми оговорками. За тридцать с небольшим минут пулеметных очередей ударных, низкого рыка, чистого вокала и быстрых, утяжеленных до неимоверной плотности и вгоняющих в транс гитарных риффов финны успевают зайти на территорию акустического фолка (на несколько минут в третьей части «Ангела», отвоевывая место у своих соотечественников Tenhi), упасть в бездну тотально депрессивного блэка, помедитировать в заснеженных клавишных пассажах и сделать несколько затяжек дымком «растений силы», размывая границы между думом и стоунером. В этом хаотичном наборе кроется главная проблема релиза, с которой авторы даже не думают бороться, наоборот, всячески культивируют ее – это, конечно же, фрагментарность. Композиции часто и неожиданно распадаются на куски, между которыми, на первый, на второй и на третий взгляд трудно проследить взаимосвязи. Только что ураганный гитарный чес и утробный рык сбивали с ног, как вдруг все проваливается в пустоту, вокалист начинает плаксиво жаловаться на жизнь, потом вступает акустика, а после распевных (в духе viking metal) вокальных партий трек вообще может пару минут просто топтаться на месте, словно не зная, что делать дальше – разгонятся и раздувать ярость и злобу, подчеркнутую криками горящих в аду грешников, или утопать в тяжелом, холодном снегу и замирать гаснущей поступью похоронного марша на фоне dark ambient`ного бэкграунда. Слушатель просто не успевает перестроиться, уловить все перепады настроения, не может выйти из ступора и тут же погрузиться в него заново – отсюда и некоторое недоуменное отношение к хорошему, в общем-то, материалу. Во всем остальном – профессиональный среднестатистический death doom с характерными «северными» интонациями, за что скажем спасибо финскому менталитету.
Author: Maeror3
Review
Damned by Light
8/10
Astral Sleep seems to have a fittingly doom-like slow-but-steady pace; they released their debut demo in ’05, which was followed by the full-lenght album “Unawakening” in 2008. They took part on a Thergothon-tribute in ’09, and in 2010 they released this kind-of theme EP. The EP holds three ten-minute songs, all which have the same title and roughly the same lyrics, but have all been composed by a different band member according to their own tastes and vision of Astral Sleep’s sound.
The band’s music is still based on the same core values; funeral doom metal’s slow pace and overwhelming feel mixed with a good twist of death metal for heavily rhythmic and powerful riffs, as well as a dose of heavy metal and a lot of weight put on the overall atmospheres. The opening song really shows the band’s influences in the form of a brisk and heavy death metal-worshipping riff that kicks the EP into motion, until it slows down to slowly flowing doom metal. This song holds both the fastest and least conventional riffs of the three, and even presents some Cannibal Corpse-blasting by the drums to further unify the mixture of death and doom metal. The song surely keeps the listener on his/her toes while still sounding surprisingly natural. I was left with a feeling that the song’s mixture could’ve been adjusted further to make it sound even more natural, and that it seems to going for greater heights than it’s capable of. A good and cerainly original song nonetheless.
The follow-up is the most based on funeral doom’s slow tempo and harsh heaviness instead of any form of catchiness or instant appeal. It rumbles forward slowly with it’s simplistic but powerfully beating riffs, and the tastefully used synths create a layer of softness that makes the songs thicker and more atmospheric. It’s the shortest and least twisted tune, but carries a dramatic atmosphere and, due to the few simple twists in the riffs, retains its appeal through its lenght. Some might find the tormented screams in its end to be banal, but they do fit the songs’s dramatic development. The third tune progresses in a similarly slow vein, and for a lot of time it’s only focused on vocals, drums, acoustic guitars and some synths, making the electric guitars sound even more powerful when they’re used. This song really brings out the band’s sense of style: the compositions go forward in a most natural pace and build up without any form of haste, making them all the more powerful and appealing. It also shows that the composers are not afraid to drop out the heaviness and the core doom metal-elements if it seems to suit the songs.
The band used an actual studio this time, and it is clearly audible through the clean (too clean to some, for sure) but powerful, and heavy but breathing sounds. The soundscape is barer than before, having been stripped down from any unnecessary elements, but maybe because of this very fact the songs and compositions carry even more power than before. Especially the drummer must be congratulated, as his minimalistic but very effective way of drumming really enhances the songs’ impact. The same applies to the nicely groovy and plump bass guitar. Alongside wondering if the band manages to pull all their ideas into a concise form for their next release, my other main concern is with the young male vocalist; he has a lot of boldness and attitude in his voice, even arrogance to some extent, but he needs to rehearse quite a bit more until he can reach the heights he’s aiming for. His voice is distinctive and has a range from shrieks and growls to the traditional clean doom metal vocals, but lacks credibility and power.
The EP comes in a decent-looking package, and the same adjective can be applied to the lyrics as well – they are good but lack character, most likely due to the fact that they had to be flexible enough to fit three different songs. I respect the band’s courage in undertaking a theme-release of this kind, although I think it’s one of the EP’s downfalls as well; it keeps the songs from reaching to their own individual heights, as they had the same lyrics and theme keeping them down. I feel that the theme caused some compositional compromises, although I can be wrong. The EP is a bit of a heavy listening experience due to consisting of three strongly individual songs instead of a continuous musical whole, but I bet that most of the people out there have learned to expect experimentations like this from EP-releases. It’s not as good a whole as their debut album, unsurprisingly, but is still more than good, presents bold ideas, and shows that we can expect some great things from the band in the future as well.
Astral Sleep is planning to record a new album next summer, and is currently searching for a suitable label to release it. They’ve got a few gigs coming up as well, so all those interested should keep their eyes on the band’s site for news.
Author: M
Review
Heavy Impact
7/10
17.01.2011
Con un Ep ed un full alle spalle (“Unawakening”, del 2008), tornano a riaffacciarsi sulle scene i finnici Astral Sleep, e lo fanno con tre nuove tracce che in realtà sono un’unica suite lunga trentuno minuti, in cui il piglio Doom Metal della band appare quanto mai ispirato ed eclettico. Si perché gli Astral Sleep, da non confondere con la gothic band tedesca avente lo stesso nome, non perdono la propria capacità compositiva, messasi già in luce in passato. La band finlandese, anche in questa occasione, ingloba riffing di matrice classica, corpose puntante Death Metal ed una attitudine eclettica che permea di personalità l’essenza dei brani.
In questa occasione particolare, il mood del sound della band si fa più imperioso che mai, grazie a fraseggi foschi ma sempre attenti alle melodie ed alle ritmiche, dinamiche come non mai. L’unica difficoltà che potrebbe incontrare il potenziale acquirente di questo lavoro è custodita nella durata dei tre brani e nella conformazione degli stessi, che in realtà rappresentano un piccolo viaggio oscuro entro concetti ultraterreni. In merito a quanto scritto, “Angel” esige un ascoltatore accorto, un ascoltatore già ben addentrato nella dialettica sonora buia del Doom Metal d’ultima generazione, di quello che non ha paura di fondersi con puntate Black o Death e che ad oggi, si impone quale uno dei generi di maggior interesse.
Concludendo, un lavoro che testimonia l’ottimo stato di salute della band. Interessante e colmo di spunti.
Author: Andrea Angelino
Review
Forgotten Path
8/10
When I turned Astral Sleep on for the first time, I strongly believed that this band is epic and well-known for everyone. It was really strange when I found out that this is just another underground Doom Metal band from Finland. Astral Sleep deserves much more.
Here we have their newest release, the EP “Angel”, which demonstrates a great piece of variety and harmony. This work consists of three songs called “Angel”. Each of the song is unique and uncovers a different idea of the angelic. The angel theme is rather popular, but as always, no matter what you’re doing the most important is how you do it, and the fact is that Astral Sleep look toward it in really serious and deep way.
It is difficult to describe all the music – it has something from that, something from there… I actually can’t say that it is strictly Doom Metal, because it sounds like original Alternative Metal, Progressive Metal, Atmospheric Black or Atmospheric Death Metal, so variety made it a bit unnamable. But it does not mean that everything is really original and unheard before. Furthermore, no matter what song you are listening to it sounds like what you’ve already heard from My Dying Bride, Swallow the Sun or Novembers Doom, probably from something else, but so familiar…
If we talk about this work within the Doom music context of 2010, I must say that this sounds pretty solid, but on the other hand Death/Doom is not the most popular Metal style, so this album is not of a personal favorite either. It has his minuses – no matter that the vocals are really interesting and could remind of traditional Doom, the atmosphere is a little bit undeveloped – yes, it has melodic parts and many slow parts, but when you listen to it in its entirety, the music sounds too cold and simulated.
So, I have no idea why Astral Sleep, a band with an original and memorable face, is so unpopular. They’re playing good original, technical and professional Doom music, which could easily compete with other Doom Metal legends. It is not something really special that must be heard, but it is strongly recommended to all Doom fans.
Author: Bloodie
Review
Shapeless Zine
7.5/10
A due anni di distanza dall’album “Unawakening”, la cui recensione и presente negli archivi di Shapeless Zine, i finlandesi Astral Sleep sono ritornati con un MCD: “Angel”. Pubblicato dalla Solitude Productions, il disco in questione contiene tre tracce, della durata complessiva di poco piщ di mezzora.
La copertina ci mostra la sagoma di una figura fotografata in controluce. Si tratta di una persona vestita con un abbigliamento pesante. Sullo sfondo, un groviglio di vegetazione coperta di neve. Il libretto, di otto pagine, contiene tutte le informazioni relative alla registrazione, la formazione degli Astral Sleep, una fotografia dei musicisti ed un breve testo che descrive la genesi di questo lavoro. In pratica, si tratta di un aneddoto curioso. Sin dagli inizi della loro carriera, gli Astral Sleep sono stati tormentati da una domanda rivoltagli dai fan: “Ma “Angel” и una vostra canzone?”. Il gruppo non ha mai scritto questa canzone, ed in piщ afferma che si tratta di una canzone pessima. In risposta a tutto questo, gli Astral Sleep hanno composto “1st Angel”, “2nd Angel” e “3rd Angel”, in pratica le tre canzoni che compongono “Angel”.
Il disco и stato registrato in due giorni nel giugno del 2008, presso il D-Studio di Klaukkala, in Finlandia. La formazione che ha inciso il CD ha visto all’opera il chitarrista e cantante (gutturale) Markus Heinonen, il bassista Jaakko Oksanen (che si occupa anche della voce urlata), Rolle Heinonen all’altra chitarra e Jiri Pyörälä alla batteria. Rispetto alla formazione che ha inciso “Unawakening”, и cambiato solo il batterista: il nuovo arrivato proviene dai Serethe.
Eccoci dunque a commentare questo “Angel”, i cui testi sono decisamente oscuri e satanici. Dunque, in queste tre canzoni i finlandesi dimostrano una classe ed una personalitа che in “Unawakening” erano rimaste un po’ in sordina. Molto probabilmente, la pubblicazione del primo full-length del gruppo ha esorcizzato il passato della band, e l’ha proiettata verso il futuro. Perchи ecco, sebbene “Angel” sia stato pubblicato due anni dopo “Unawakening”, la sue registrazioni hanno avuto luogo solo un anno dopo quelle dell’album. Eppure, il songwriting mostra un carattere tutto diverso. Non che lo stile sia stato stravolto, perт ora i finlandesi possono sentirsi allo stesso livello degli altri loro compagni della Solitude, mentre prima erano ahimи un gradino sotto.
Le tre canzoni sono molto diverse tra di loro, ma collegate da un sound coerente, oltre che dalla tematica dei testi. Si tratta di composizioni lunghe, dagli arrangiamenti complicati e ricche di sfumature. Si passa da momenti commoventi ad altri tristissimi e disperati, ma non si disdegnano atmosfere soffocanti (ai limiti del funeral doom) ed altre orrorifiche (si ascolti il finale della seconda traccia). Nel complesso, gli Astral Sleep mettono in mostra un buon talento, ed una creativitа rinnovata e piщ fresca che in precedenza. Gli arrangiamenti, giа citati in precedenza, sono creativi e ricchi di idee. Credo pertanto che “Angel” potrebbe intrigare anche gli ascoltatori che non impazziscono per il doom. Infatti, la breve durata di questo lavoro e qualche accelerazione fanno sм che “Angel” scorra via con facilitа, senza risultare mai ostico nи noioso.
A parer mio, il gruppo puт ancora crescere. Talvolta i vocalizzi puliti sono un po’ imprecisi, e altre volte le idee non sono cosм originali. Nel complesso perт “Angel” и un MCD interessante e testimonia la crescita degli Astral Sleep. Avanti di questo passo, i finlandesi potranno togliersi molte soddisfazioni!
Author: EGr
Review
Friedhof Magazine
7.5/10
27.01.2011
Lo primero que llama la atención de este EP cuando empieza a sonar es el sonido tan bien conseguido, con guitarras muy gordas, sonido limpio, nítido y cristalino. Estilísticamente hablando, su música podría tratarse de un Death/Doom bastante abierto en coger influencias de otros estilos como el Black Metal, y con trozos que tienen muy cercanos al Stonner.
“Angel” es un álbum denso compuesto de tres únicos temas de una duración cercana a las diez minutos cada uno, con un sólo argumento conceptual. El concepto es demasiado simple a entender. Trata sobre los ángeles y de la muerte de Dios con una letra que parece algo inmadura y adolescente. No obstante los temas no son para nada lineales, porque tienen multitud de cambios de dinámica. Algunos trozos a medio tiempo, otros más rápidos rozando el Black Metal, otros más Doom, unos muy aplastantes típicos de grupos como Shape of despair, y otros más tradicionales que recuerdan mucho al “Gothic” de Paradise Lost, con esa voz gutural tan monstruosa. Un punto interesante de mencionar es la voz que está muy bien lograda, y que cambia de registro constantemente de gutural a chillona, con multitud de efectos molones o distorsión. También abundan las voces normales, y se ha conseguido un buen resultado.
Mención especial al tema “2nd Angel”, que es quizás el más variado de todos y tiene un momento en particular que recuerda a la primera época de In the Woods. Lamentablemente el primer tema tiene un genial trozo lento de Doom de guitarra acústica que se ve ridiculizado por una voz que parece estar eructando. Una lástima.
En definitiva es un buen álbum de Death/Doom con una buena producción que gustará a cualquier fan del estilo que se tercie. Les falta limar un par de cosas en cuanto a criterio estético y hacerlo un pelín más adulto, pero no van por mal camino.
Author: Azathoth
Review
Metal Revolution
5.8/10
24.02.2011
Angel is the new project release from this doom metal act Astral Sleep from Finland. I was not very secure nor did I know what the band was up to, prior to listening of this record. It was my first encounter with Astral Sleep.
Angel is a release with three tracks with the same title “Angel”. All three racks have different variation on the release, and it has themes like angel, Satan & evilness in different ways. The first track is the most aggressive one with lots of up-tempo parts, while the second starts with vibrating motion like the one has some rattling gurgles of a snake suppurating combined with low-tuned guitar sound again combined with heavy elements.
My overall opinion of this particular demo is that Astral Sleep managed to sail safe between doom metal with some melodic & dark tunes combined with some solo guitar riffs. But I see no reason to do three different versions of one track; it actually tends to get boring, despite of an overall decent quality of each song.
Astral Sleep is definitely a band to watch for if you are into the dark and doomy world.
Author: Simona
Review
Doom-metal.com
02.11.2010
Astral Sleep are back with a new Ep and although the material has been recorded in 2008, they sound a bit different than on their last full-length ’The Unawakening’. Let’s say, more serious. The kids have grown up and the pleasure they took in writing absurd lines and awkward melodic twists has mutated into a darker approach everything Doom Death is about: tragedy, despond, emphasis, dark forces rolling like thunder.
The riffs carry more dread, the vocals more aggression, the drumming is more focused. Things are less convoluted and draw along a lot more fluently… The songwriting as a whole has gained a lot of seriousness. I used to place them in some kind of an infamous Holy Trinity of Doom together with Aarni and Umbra Nihil, they are now back on earth, among the living, taking their part of the burden like everybody else: more gloom, more grief in that ’Angel’.
Now, that’s for the music part, because on the other side of that structured face hold by coherent features, you have a more grotesque, conceptual one which still bears all the fucked-up leanings of the Finnish: ‘Angel’ happens to be the song’s title of a Gothic band they couldn’t care less about. Though, they were frequently asked if ‘Angel’ was a song of theirs, what got them upset till they got the idea of recording a song they called ‘Angel’, so that they could answer those guys, that yes, they had written that ‘Angel’ song. Secondly, the three songs that compose that ep called ‘Angel’ are called ‘Angel’ as well! And thirdly, the lyrics are three times the same, based on ‘I see Satan all around me’, ‘Every souls like yours will perish in flames’, ‘Satan lives in our heart, God lives but he is weak’! Ok, stop laughing in the back!
This is in fact an interesting exercice, setting the same text in music throws an original light on the artistic work they are displaying: part 1 being more Death-oriented; part 2, more Black; part 3, more atmospheric. A rather intriguing concept!
On ’Angel’, Astral Sleep prove they are a really great band; what was funnily clumsy on ’The Unawakening’ is now totally mastered and their Doom is as serious as they maybe wanted it to be from the start. The ‘wind of craziness’ has turned into a more gentle breeze; but it feels good!
Author: Bertrand Marchal
Review
Femfogacs
9/10
22.12.2010
Egy újabb Solitude Productions kiadvánnyal lett gazdagabb nyöszörgő világunk, ideje némi körítés után megismerkedni mostani kritikánk tárgyával. A finn Astral Sleep 2004-ben látta meg a napvilágot sztyeppék és tűlevelű barátaink társaságában, tamperei horda már egész korán elkezdte gyártani személyes kiadványait, így tehát 2005-ben demóval, egy évvel rá ennek kislemezes verziójával lepték meg a változatos doom metal szerelmeseit. 2008-ban az első debüttel ünnepeltek majd idén kijött az Agel EP-jük, melyet némileg górcső alá veszünk egy picit, a különböző perspektívák és koncepció fiolái tökéletes táptalajt adnak a fájdalomnak és a beteges death torzításoknak, tele emocionális kirohanásokkal és telített pólusú artériás vérzéssel. Kicsit csalóka az összkép, hiszen ha a szép nyomai munkába oltott borítót és bumfordi logót vesszük, akkor bizony black vagy drone képet kéne kapnunk, ennek ellenére a végeredmény változatos és jól megszerkesztett doom cammogást ad az erre vevő nagyérdeműnek. Lássuk, mit is takar a kislemez alapvető szegmense, s hogyan lesz a mélységből emészthető felszín vagy éppen magával ragadó önön magunk kibaszott börtöne.
Bár finn barátaink egyértelműen elfogadják és büszkék a Type O Negative konstruálta hatásokra, azért az aspektus nem kevés differenciával gyűri maga alá sebes, de azért kívánatos testét. Azonban az aktus kimenetele kellemes elegye az örömnek és a kéjnek, azért mégis csak a fájdalom égisze alatt fogant halott embrió ez kérem szépen. Az összkép közelebb áll a black és death hordalékához, mint a színtiszta doomhoz, így tehát mondanom se kell, hogy mennyire sokféleképpen igyekeznek összepasszítani az amúgy rokon műfajok megkínzott szegmenseit. Szinte minden lassabb és vonaglóbb csapat fertőzése tetten érhető, de elsősorban egy perverz My Dying Bride kelepcéjébe sétál a gyanútlan hallgató, s mikor rájön mit is rejt a sűrű erdő, a kiútját már csak nehézkesen, vagy egyáltalán nem találja meg.
A kislemez három dala annak koncepcióját járja közre, hogy bukik el az éteri fény, hogy fekteti le és hajtja malmára a gonosz, környékezi meg és csúfítja el a szépség és gyönyör megrepedt székesegyházát, majd dobja oda a kutyáknak, amik halálra marcangolják az ezer sebből vérző és koszos, egykoron fehérben tündöklő, ma szürke és zápfogakkal teli testet. A vég mégsem következik be, ügyel klérusunk, hogy messiásunk ne a kereszten lelje halálát, hanem egy elátkozott kuplerájban ajzószerek és gliteringgel fertőzött örömök ágyán, ölelve önmaga materiáját, átadva magát a jelennek, a beteljesülő új életben, amelynek már köze sincs az egykoron tündöklő tegnaphoz. A gonosz jelenléte érezhető, lélegzete egyszerre forró, birodalmi és katakombákból eredő, miközben teste nagy részét a fagy és az csillapíthatatlan éhség teszi fertőző masszává. A megcsúszott és átvedlett alany tehát nem tesz mást, csak eggyé válik a lét minden téren betegesnek tekinthető mocsarával, melynek lápos szélén már ott tündököl a végzet, míg fenekén egy teljesen új létforma kezdi meg burjánzását.
Igényes és természetesen jól sikerült anyaggal lettünk gazdagabbak, fájdalma örök, egyedisége fertőzött, ám még sem zavaró. A háttérben vonagló és mélyen kattogó fénymásoló gép tehát kellően színes és jól sikerült papírokkal szórja tele a gyertyafényben lobogó szobát. Azonban le kell hogy szegezzük, hallottunk ennél már jobban sikerült Solitude Productions terméket is, s bár a Type O Negative sok helyen feltűnik, de egyetlen lélegzetben és leheletben sem marad meg mérvadóan, egyszerűen velejáró betegség, mélységből feltörő abberáció, a death-black és dark-gothic aspektusai között. Nem is tudom mennyire is tekinthetjük az idei anyagot doom metalnak, sokkal több és egyszerre radikálisan kevesebb is van benne, egyszerre tűnik komplexnek és puritánnak, mélynek és felszínesnek, s ezek problematikája felveti annak kérdését, hogy mennyire színház a darab, s hogy ez a felvonás netán nem is egy vörös függönyökkel teleszőtt színpadon, hanem a reális életben vergődik. A felmerülő kérdések egyikét sem lehet maradandéktalanul megválaszolni, már csak azért sem, hiszen a mi elménk, a miénk, az övék meg az övék, de hol is van a gonosz és merre az angyalból lett prosti?
Author: HARDsick
Review
Froster
8/10
04.01.2011
Astral Sleep – финские дум металлеры, в своём активе имеющие полноценный альбом “Unawakening” (2008), одноимённое с названием группы ЕР 2006 года, и второй ЕР “Angel”, вышедший в 2010 году, который и стал предметом обозрения. Как известно, финны некачественного материала не выпускают. Так вышло и с этими музыкантами – три песни на 30 минут, но за эти 30 минут вы сможете вдоволь насладится мрачным и мистическим дез/думом в лучших традициях ранней Anathema и My Dying Bride. Приятно смотрится вокальное разнообразие в виде чистого меланхоличного вокала и жёсткого и агрессивного гроулинга. На диске присутствует великолепное качество записи и профессиональная игра музыкантов. Так что, как и многие новинки в данном стиле, Astral Sleep должен быть услышан каждым любителем дума!
Author: Rover
Review
Metal Library
9/10
20.03.2011
Молодые финны, не слишком торопясь с новым диском, действительно направили свою молодецкую удаль прочь от ненужных излишеств в самой музыке, и внедрили ее в задорную концептуальность, в чем-то даже высмеивающую стилистические шаблоны. У какой группы из doom или gothic metal нет песни “Angel… (слово на ваш выбор)”? Вот и их, как упоминается в буклете, не один раз спрашивали про таковую, в связи с чем, на один и тот же текст нам предоставлено целых три варианта, различающихся музыкально в крайне значительной степени.
Как видите, юность надавила на нужную триггерную точку выдумки, дабы лишить нас сомнительных удовольствий необдуманных развитий и дурашливых вокалов, зато подарить столь необходимую порой в doom улыбку. А уж с качеством музыкального содержания как такового, на первом диске проблем не было, как не появилось и тут. Композиторское чутье, остепенившееся в своей мельтешащей энергии, течет по нужному руслу, когда вступает в дело в первая версия “Angel”: смачный death doom, вполне олдскульного характера, несмотря на весомые гитары, оказывается мелодичным и в меру скоростным, с замедлениями под куплеты и уверенными разгонами, бласт-битом и сильным гроул-скримом. Она в некоторые моменты совершенно подобна какому-нибудь качевому мелодик-дэт, вроде Amon Amarth, столь динамично ее развитие. Пара отрезков взывают к traditional doom, но, аккуратно, не прибегая к эклектике, плавно переходя из одного в другое, а не надстраивая бетонные риффы друг на друга.
Атмосферного последыша за ничтожные восемь минут изо всех сил клонит уже к black doom, и там, выискав свое место, появляются вымершие на первом треке сиплые, визги и заднеплановые крики, в этот раз попавшие туда, куда им следовало. Они в концовке не самой интересной песни нагнетают театрализованное сумасшествие, сменяющееся акустическим пассажем в начале третьей версии “Angel”, в свою очередь ваяющей в думе эстетическое богатство Ника Кейва поющего Tenhi (лишь изредка вокал переходит на скрим), мажорные аккорды Tiamat последнего десятка прошлого века. Добавка на сладкое – легкие касания современности и post metal, догоняющие песню в финале. Между делом где-то по идее появлялся даже контрабас, органичнейшим образом вписавшийся в контекст, так, что даже не был замечен.
Теперь у юных талантов есть оплот для будущих интервью, целое трио песен “Angel” – фарцевать хоть направо, хоть налево, а сначала на продажу 1 и 3 части – задорого, последней, для тех, кто ходит к “шапочному разбору” вторая, самая скучная, несмотря на эмоционально-психическую составляющую. Итогом же, удовлетворяющим всех должен стать второй альбом, который непременно станет один из лучших релизов года – талантливые, эти Astral Sleep.
Author: Maliceth aka Алк.