Dark Funeral
Attera Totus Sanctus (cd)
Wydane przez Regain RecordsRok wydania 2005Kraj SwedenNapisał Wouter8
"Attera Totus Sanctus" is the highly anticipated follow-up to the Swedish black metal veterans' critically acclaimed 2001 album "Diabolis Interium". Frankly, Dark Funeral's biggest strength is simultaneously their primary downfall. This album fits literally perfectly into the band's impressive backcatalogue and is without doubt their best album to date. However, in essence it differs little from their previous outings. The riffs have grown more compact, the song structures have become more memorable and the production is top notch and smooth in every conceivable way. From opener 'King Antichrist' it's clear that Dark Funeral have perfected their eerie fierce Scandinavian black metal to jaw-dropping detail. Their recognizable sharp riffs, skin crawling harmonies and signature style here flourish on frightening heights. '666 Voices Inside' takes a break from blasting all the way and includes some great mid-tempo parts. 'Attera Totus Sanctus' builds quite some momentum from the start. Compared to their contemporaries Dark Funeral is not afraid to include slower parts into their music, which add great depth to their otherwise blistering delivery. 'Godhate' is the perfect way to showcase Matte Modin's impressive drumming skills. 'Atrum Regina' is another mid-tempo epic that functions as a great way to carry (ex-Meshuggah bassist) Gustaf Hielm's wonderful contributions to this album. 'Angel Flesh Impaled' is bound to become another crowd pleaser in the live situation. 'Feed On the Mortals' starts out with a serene guitar part before going into overdrive. There are a few narrated passages in here as well. 'Final Ritual' closes the album and does it in a very convincing manner: utterly relentless and decimating. While being terribly consistent, both conceptually and musically, "Attera Totus Sanctus" offers little new compared to the band's earlier outputs. Even the artwork reminds closely of "Diabolis Interium". Nevertheless, this becomes only an obstacle if you want it to be. Guesting on this album is ex-Meshuggah bassist Gustaf Hielm. Dark Funeral still are the undisputed masters of this specific style and remain miles ahead of the competition.
www.darkfuneral.se
