CRYSTAL AGE — Far Beyond Divine Horizons (review)

CRYSTAL AGE — Far Beyond Divine Horizons album cover Album · 1995 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Far Beyond Divine Horizons" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Crystal Age. The album was released through Vic Records in 1995. Crystal Age was a relatively shortlived act forming in 1993 and disbanding again in 1996, a 1994 promo and "Far Beyond Divine Horizons" being their only output. Crystal Age was formed by former Ceremonial Oath vocalist/guitar player Oscar Dronjak and it was because of Dronjak leaving to concentrate on his new project HammerFall that Crystal Age ended.

Stylistically the music on "Far Beyond Divine Horizons" is sci-fi/fantasy themed death metal with the occasional blackended moment. The vocals are snarling blackened growling, and the instrumental part of the music features tempo changes, brutal sections, melodic sections, and some pretty well played guitar solos. It´s old school alright, but not old school Swedish death metal. This is a more eclectic combination of various extreme metal styles. "Far Beyond Divine Horizons" is a concept release and each track is titled Act I, Act II...and so forth. It´s a sci-fi/fantasy story and to my ears actually more on the fantasy side, which makes the sci-fi oriented cover artwork a bit misplaced (although the story does take place in another galaxy). On a sidenote the cover artwork looks suspiciously much like the cover artwork on Nocturnus second album "Thresholds (1992)" and there are indeed also some musical similarities.

Crystal Age are a well playing band and while the guitars are on the thin side, the sound production is overall decent enough, but the songwriting is a bit one-dimensional (and so are the vocals). There is a lot happening within each track, but the tracks are a bit hard to tell apart and ultimately it´s a weakness and a minor issue with the album. Upon conclusion "Far Beyond Divine Horizons" is still a solid release though and a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating isn´t all wrong.
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