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Majestic Downfall / Ansia - Split CD (CD)

doom death / avantgarde doom, Solitude Productions, Solitude Productions
List price: 466.67 Р
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SP. 015-07 xn
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This Split CD introduces two brand new bands to all metal heads all over the world. Each one has it’s own sound and visions of modern doom/death metal. Majestic Downfall (Mexico) is a one-man-band, which recaptures the feeling of the 90’s European Doom Metal scene, while mixing it with some more modern Doom Metal overtones. Main idea of Ansia (Italy) is to find new sounds in the doom scene. Atmospheric music is interesting due to its specific sound. Ansia’s part of the Split has been mixed by Alessio Fagrelli (ex-session keyboards for Deinonychus), who also plays piano on the song “Part I”.

Tracklist:
1 A Birds Departure 8:10
2 In An Ocean Of Fears 7:22
3 A Tear Of Understanding 7:38
4 Part I 13:40
5 Part II 5:51
6 Part III 15:37

Artist:
Majestic Downfall / Ansia
Artist Country:
International
Album Year:
2007
Title:
Split CD
Genre:
doom death / avantgarde doom
Format:
CD
Type:
CD Album
Package:
Jewel Case
Label:
Solitude Productions
Cat Num:
SP. 015-07
Release Year:
2007
Country Of Manufacture:
Russia
Review
Metal Wave
7.9/10

Con un po' di ritardo vado a recensire questo split tra i messicani Majestic Downfall e gli italiani Ansia, pubblicato a fine 2007 dalla Solitude Productions. Devo dire che l'etichetta russa in questo caso ha fatto davvero un'ottima scelta, permettendo alla gente con un unico cd, della durata di un'ora, di conoscere due nuove realtà molto differenti tra loro ma entrambe interessanti.
Poco più di venti minuti sono dedicati alle tre tracce dei Majestic Downfall, ovvero il progetto solista del messicano
Jacobo Cordova, che si è occupato appunto di tutti gli strumenti e le voci. La sua proposta è fortemente legata al death-doom dei primi anni '90, quindi si sentono forti gli echi dei vecchi My Dying Bride, Anathema, Paradise Lost e altri nomi storici di questo genere. I pezzi presi singolarmente, anche se non originali, sono secondo me abbastanza validi, soprattutto "A birds departure" e "In an ocean of fears", mentre la terza "A tear of understanding" finisce per risultare abbastanza prolissa e noiosa. Nonostante ciò comunque questi tre pezzi finiscono per essere ben godibili, anche per merito di una buona produzione.
Molto differente è invece la proposta degli Ansia, costituiti su questo split da Ruben, Steven ed Ethere, con quest'ultimo che ha abbandonato il progetto successivamente all'uscita del cd. Parlo di progetto perché si tratta più di una collaborazione tra musicisti che di un gruppo vero e proprio, con Alessio Fagrelli (ex tastierista dei
Morgana's Kiss e session dei Deinonychus) che si è occupato del mixaggio e della masterizzazione, nonché della parte di pianoforte presente in "Part I". Il punto di partenza e di riferimento è sempre il doom metal, ma la proposta degli Ansia si distingue per originalità da quella di molti altri gruppi doom, dal momento che i tre inseriscono anche richiami a sonorità black metal o ad atmosfere ambient. "Ansia" è esattamente il nome appropriato per una band di questo tipo, la cui musica è costantemente cupa, angosciante, claustrofobica, sofferente, senza speranza, anche nelle sue parti più di atmosfera e dilatate; le chitarre spesso formano un vero e proprio "muro sonoro", la voce è disperata e sofferta e i testi in italiano permettono di capire meglio e di sentire più intensamente il messaggio degli Ansia. Non mi dilungo molto ma a mio avviso questri tre pezzi vanno ascoltati molto bene e a fondo per poterli apprezzare come si deve, anche per merito dell'originalità compositiva che mostrano.
In conclusione uno split-cd molto interessante per gli amanti delle sonorità più cupe e pesanti del metal,
complimenti alla Solitude per aver messo sotto contratto due valide bands!

Author: Heresy
Review
Metal District
8/10
31.03.2008

Aus Mexiko kommt MAJESTIC DOWNFALL und ist ein Ein-Mann-Projekt, das sich dem Death Doom verschrieben hat. Mit drei Beiträgen und einer jeweiligen Spieldauer von rund acht Minuten macht Jacobo auch gleich deutlich, dass er es ernst meint. Allerdings gibt es hier nur selten schleppende Parts, überwiegend geht es recht flott zu, hat bisweilen sogar einen rockigen Touch, ohne dabei aber aus dem Rahmen Death Doom heraus zu fallen, und das ist wirklich interessant. Hin und wieder finden sich auch Melodieläufe, die sich ohne weiteres auch im Gothic Doom zu Hause fühlen würden, nur kitschig wird das ganze nie.

Im Gegenteil, trotz des etwas höheren Tempos und der feinen Melodien herrscht hier eine bedrückende, dunkle Atmosphäre vor. Die dunkle, rauhe Stimme tut ihr Übriges und Gänsehaut ist hier durchaus garantiert. Jacobo arbeitet mit ausgesprochen simplen, aber sehr effektiven Mitteln, und nur im letzten der drei Songs wird zur Unterstützung ein Keyboard eingesetzt. Dieser unterscheidet sich aber in mehrerer Hinsicht von den anderen. Der 'Blastpart' in der Mitte des Songs droht beinahe völlig zu entgleisen, vor allem stimmlich, fängt sich aber schnell wieder und kehrt zurück in die noch etwas flottere Songstruktur. Bis auf diesen kurzen Ausrutscher ist hier qualitativ aber durchweg nix zu beanstanden.

Auch aus einem Sonnenland, nämlich Italien, kommen ANSIA, die sich der Mixtur aus Doom und Black Metal mit Ambient angenommen haben, und in der Tat geht es hier weitaus düsterer zu. Heraus kommt eine stimmige Legierung aus stark ambientlastigen Songstrukturen, die Teils tatsächlich auf BM basieren, Teils dem Funeral Doom zugerechnet werden können. Vor allem die Vocals sind sehr schwarz angehaucht, aber auch die Gitarrenarbeit ist hörbar dem depressiven Black Metal nicht abgeneigt, dennoch würde ich das immer noch eindeutig Doom nennen.

Dementsprechend geht es hier sehr schleppend zu, auch wenn es für nen Kaffee zwischen den Drumschlägen nicht ganz reicht. Über die meist sehr dezenten Drums legen sich schleppende, verzerrte Gitarren und allerlei Geräuschkulisse, die aus dem Ambient stammt und ab und an finden sich feine Klavierparts und darunter flächige Synths. Nein, überladen wirkt das ganze trotzdem nicht und was das Trio aus Rimini hier fabriziert, kann sich wirklich mehr als hören lassen.

Fast eine Stunde Doom gibt es auf dieser Split zweier junger Bands, die beide im Jahre 2006 ihre ersten Demos veröffentlichten. Dass Solitude Productions sich dieser Bands annimmt, wundert nicht, ist man doch von dem kleinen russischen Label Qualität gewohnt (HIEROPHANT, EVOKEN, EA,...) und auch diese beiden Bands enttäuschen nicht. Sie sind recht unterschiedlich und repräsentieren zwei Randerscheinungen des Doom, die eine eher rockig, die andere eher Funeral Doom/Black. Freunden dunkler Klänge kann ich hier nur unbedingtes Probehören empfehlen, mindestens eine der beiden Bands ohne Sonne im Herzen schmeckt jedem Doomfreund.

Author: Velvet
Review
Metal-Zone
8/10
18.08.2008

Ottimo split-cd quello che mi accingo a recensire rilasciato per la russa Solitude Production (sinceramente non capisco perché debba ricevere una copia masterizzata quando c’è una label alle spalle) da Majestic Downfall e Ansia.

I primi, in realtà, sono una one-man band da circa un decennio attiva nella scena metal estrema messicana: il master mind Jacobo, infatti, dopo aver suonato il basso per 10 anni negli Antiqua, ha deciso di optare per un futuro solista in quel genere death/doom che da molto tempo lo vede protagonista.

I tre brani dello split in esame sono caratterizzati da un’atmosfera pregna di pathos tanto che, se non fosse per il cavernoso growl di chiara matrice death, non esiterei a definire la proposta esclusivamente doom: i punti di riferimento del polistrumentista messicano sono, indubbiamente, Paradise Lost e Katatonia e questo è anche il limite della creatura di Jacopo che non si distacca molto dalla lezione impartita dalle succitate band risultando nel complesso prevedibile.

Ciò nonostante, la produzione eccellente e le atmosfere plumbee disegnate dal sudamericano conferiscono un respiro notevole al lavoro che merita di essere supportato.

Di ben altra caratura, già dal punto di vista compositivo, si presentano le composizioni dei nostrani Ansia: “Apocalyptic Doom Metal” è il genere affrontato dal terzetto riminese che propone tre lunghi brani dai contorni fortemente depressive che non lasciano speranza alcuna come se si percorresse un tunnel senza via d’uscita.

Ritmi lenti ed angoscianti, atmosfere fredde ed opprimenti, vocals agonizzanti che rendono difficile carpire i testi introspettivi declamati in lingua madre: questo ci offrono in dono gli Ansia con Part I, Part II e Part III che, pur segnate da una produzione meno brillante rispetto ai precedenti tre brani, esprimono originalità e sperimentazione.

In conclusione, questo split si presenta interessante soprattutto grazie alla band nostrana.

Author: VIKINGBLOOD
Review
Metal Invader
4/5
15.03.2008

It was quite a surprise for me to get through this really good split CD. Majestic Downfall an one man’s band delivers mournful yet melodic music in slow and mid tempos. Three songs are include din this split CD (A Bird’s departure, In The Ocean Of Fears, A Tear Of Understanding). Their music reminded me of old My dying Bride -a little- thanks to the growling vocals and characteristic lead guitar themes. In times that become even more aggressive but soon they return to mourn.

Ansia are from Italy and they are sounding even deeper, atmospheric but meanwhile experimental letting their music drive to the listener in a journey enforced by ambient atmospheres, Black Metal touches, aggressive vocals of sadness and ultra slow riffs in ever more slow tempos. Three songs by them are also included in three (Part I, Part II, Part III), three songs building a stone wall of a strange and ultra heavy sound.

The final piece of the puzzle in this split CD is completed by the great artwork. In the booklet you can also find the lyrics of all the song. For sure this split CD is a good chance for both the bands (who have previously released only demo) to be listened by more people. I hope this release would be the first step for both on a path with even more releases.

Author: Chris Papadakis
Review
Diabolical Conquest
8.2/10
10.07.2008

As soon as the first notes of Majestic Downfall hit my eager ears, I leaped three feet in the air with joy. Pardon me for my inappropriate reaction towards this form of doom music but I couldn't contain myself after listening to band that sounded like an old forgotten favourite - Solar Lovers by Celestial Season. Yes, Majestic Downfall happen to be heavily influenced by the best era of Celestial Season and to an extent by the melodic doom/death act Saturnus, Anathema's Serenades, and okay, even My Dying Bride for good measure. Brace yourself then, for naturally this kind of music is pervaded with notions of romantic sweetness and consequently, the sadness of irrevocable loss.

The three songs which we have been provided with here are in fact from their The First Abyss demo and last at least seven minutes each. Intricately structured, they flow at a fairly good tempo without boring the crap out of you and respectfully slow down whenever a doleful lead or melody is being played. Vocals are mostly done in that gruff growly voice we are all familiar with and through it emotions are expressed reasonably well. The songs progress in an impulsive manner and somehow even the parts of contrasting moods in them never seem out of place. They are ably supported by the production, which might not be as booming as Solar Lovers', but is sufficiently heavy and clear. Even though the music on each track is different, the songs are of the same nature and I am afraid dissecting them separately will rob them of their collective enthusiasm and passion. All I can say is that despite being unoriginal, the music of Majestic Downfall is instantly adorable and boldly explores the familiar array of emotions, hope-inspiring as well as despair-ridden.

Majestic Downfall, being a Mexican band, do exceedingly well in recreating semi-melodic European death/doom and end up sounding very convincing and passionate at it.



Ansia, the other band on this doom split are from Italy and unlike Majestic Fall play atmospheric funeral doom metal. Their music is comparable to that of the Finnish bands like Shape of Despair - on their first release and if you were to lift the oppressiveness from it - and a less sorrowful Tyranny but with a much more airy atmosphere. Blend in it the dark and slightly depressive black/doom aura of Deinonychus and some vague faint echoing sounds of the surroundings a la The Bleeding Light and you should be in the position to imagine Ansia's sound fairly accurately.

Playing gentle piano notes with light synth accentuation, “Part I” begins in a sweet and innocuous manner before plunging hopelessly into the funeral doom pool. Indeed, it feels like settling down in a bathtub filled with cold water to pacify a mind preoccupied with wistful thoughts, and after fully submerging your head in it, your thoughts are suddenly given a new form of expression. Your past memories, stirring lightly in your mind like ripples on the water's surface, seem intangible just like the world on the other side of the aqueous barrier. “Part II” is a mellow but poignant instrumental that nearing the halfway mark takes sudden a dark turn, the remaining few minutes of the song only consisting of weird droning sounds of laboured deep breathing for instance, suspended in an eerie industrial ambience. “Part III” resumes the funeral doom plodding, the music enveloped in an expansive emotionally-charged atmosphere has long black metal-edged tortured vocals seemingly emanating from a seized throat piercing through it every now and then. Like in the first track, this 15-minute song takes you through its various cleanly laid out stages including the purely ambient ones where your sense of desolation gets overwhelming, and it ends not without having you completely empathising with the feelings that it is striving to evoke through its music.

Ansia's vast, drawing atmosphere makes them different from your average funeral doom band. Emotionally rich but far from mawkish, their music is apt for cogitation.

Author: Kunal N. Choksi
Review
Metalcrypt
4.25/5
11.05.2008

Two Doom bands I had never heard before here - Majestic Downfall from Mexico, and Ansia from Italy. Majestic Downfall is Doom/Death, while Ansia is more Doom/Black with some ambient mixed in. This is one of those splits where you can clearly hear the differences between the two bands, as they sound nothing alike. Majestic Downfall's Doom/Death is very similar to some European underground bands in the same genre - slow to mid-paced with a good dose of melody popping up all over in what is otherwise more gloomy and heavy. The Death-ish vocals are low and deep growls with a slightly raw edge to them. Even though the atmosphere is doomy (no surprise there), the melodic passages have a little positive edge to them, so this is not overly depressing - just halfway there.

Ansia is a different story, with some very melancholic ambient passages that make a dark rainy day feel like a sunshine in comparison. The music is definitely more Black Metal with Doom undertones - the guitars have that more or less low-fi Black Metal style, but they keyboards and drums follow more of a Doom beat, for a very good result of crushing, mindfucked heaviness. Same for the vocals which come directly from the Black Metal world: tortured rasps that make the songs sound even more like a slow motion trip down to hell. Part II is fully ambient, with a suspense/horror feeling through and through. Just as Mahestic Downfall's material has some positive-sounding parts, Ansia's is about as negative as it gets - there's no light at the end of that tunnel, that's for sure.

Neither band appears to have a full length, but if they're able to deliver the same quality of material as can be found on this split, it's going to be a worthy purchase. In the meantime, this one is definitely worth checking out.

Author: Michel Renaud
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