LUNATIC GODS wilderness LP folk/death metal THERION oop

BLACK VINYL

10 song LP featuring an interesting mix of Slovakian Occult death metal with tweaked melodic flourishes, and fried-out Euro folk elements executed through the use of sitar and didgeridoo (!). Extremely original, twisted avant-folk-death metal. Hailing from Slovakia, this band lays out 10 songs of Blazing Experimental Melodic Death Metal with Poetic Lyrics. It’s a mixture of Melodic Death Metal (ala AT THE GATES) with Slovakian Folk, also includes different instruments like Sitar’s and Didgeridoo’s. Extremely original in an Unoriginal field of music.

REVIEW FROM FISHCOMM: After several albums "Inhuman and insensible" and "Sitting by the fire", Hirax and his bandmates are back with an exotic new album called "The Wilderness". Released in 2001, this CD is a kind of mixture between technical thrash and slave music with some interesting arrangements ("Doomsday"'s intro by Prokoviev) making me think aboutbands such as Therion, Evereve, Tiamat ("Fallen beauty") or even Moonspell. The guitar parts are really varied, between speed and slowness. There are even some clean parts that give space to the music. The first songs, as "Tormenting world" and its lead guitar part are quite impressve moment. The sound production iss not bad, every instruments finds its balance in Lunatic Gods'universe. I think that Lunatic Gods is on the good way to seduce a large audience with its melancholic and melodic metal from Eastern europe. A must have for sad music lovers.

REVIEW FROM UNRESTRAINED: ‘The Wilderness’ hits the CD player, and track one ("Curse") blasts out, making the mind grope automatically for recognition. "This sounds like Auberon," I think to myself, "but more extreme." And after repeated listens, the original conclusion stands. Lunatic Gods create a blasting furnace of drumming and speed, yet allow well-timed and well-planned clean vocals, with the appropriate slower riffing and atmospheric effects, to make the listen interesting, as well as multi-dimensional. About the only thing about their death/black attack that does not conform to the norm would be the lyrical output—bitter takes on the curve balls life has thrown their way, as opposed to outright Satanism and nihilism, which offers a refreshing change. Some of those satanic references are in there, but more like footnotes, as opposed to actual song subjects, like "Battlefield of Life," about looking at past accomplishments and failures, and "Tormenting World," about betrayal. Apart from that, the music is executed with precision, and the production is clear and adequate, allowing both clarity and skill to show through. ‘The Wilderness’ is a good opening release for one to test the wares of these Lunatic Gods.

REVIEW FROM TARTAREAN DESIRE: Lunatic Gods from Slovakia was formed in 1994 and has since then worked their way through several labels before ending up on the native Shindy Productions for the release of their third full-length album. While most bands from Eastern Europe are fairly stuck on being as brutal as possible to outdo their American role models this is a band who have decided to carve out their own niche. Lunatic Gods is still a pretty brutal band at times, especially as it comes to the growling vocals, but they have incorporated lots of atmospheric passages like symphonic keyboard arrangements and clean vocals, making their music sound very good and, above all, very interesting. They sound like a mix of Deicide (the brutal side), Testament (some thrashier moments) and Opeth (melancholic melodies and clean vocals) you might say. In fact, Lunatic Gods is one of the most interesting bands from Eastern Europe that I've been able to hear during the last couple of years. There are for sure more good bands out there but they seem to have trouble spreading their music throughout the world. If you want to listen to something that is both atmospheric and energetic at the same time this is a good choice. Just listen to the "Wilderness trilogy" at the end and you will hear one of the best and most avantgarde death metal songs ever made.

REVIEW FROM VAMPIRE MAG: Lunatic Gods has already quite a history, with 3 albums and being established as a wellknown band in their country Slovakia. I've never heard of them before, which is not strange since their distribution hasn't been that good. With this album the tide should turn, especially since Lunatic Gods deserves it. Quite original, with all kinds of influences, ranging from black/deathmetal to doom. The album's very diverse, and never bores a single second! The musicians handle their instruments well, which is needed for the sometimes really weird tempo-changes, weird intervals and the like. They've got two vocalists too, and the vocals range from deathgrowls to screams to clean singing throughout the album. Sometimes you get the idea the music it a bit overdone, because as a listener you don't get a single second of rest! You like this or not, but it sure stays interesting. Bottom line is, a good, diverse and dynamic release that will never bore, but you should be up to it.

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