OBSIDIAN GATE — The Nightspectral Voyage (review)

OBSIDIAN GATE — The Nightspectral Voyage album cover Album · 1999 · Symphonic Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
2.5/5 ·
Warthur
This symphonic black metal suite is sometimes compared to the works of Limbonic Art, but actually the thing which comes to my mind most when listen to this is Britain's own Bal-Sagoth. The Robert E. Howard sword and sorcery obsessions of that band aren't in evidence here, at least at first; the opening movements make this seem like this is going to be a spacier, more cosmic journey - but by the end it's all about issuing forth incantations to dragons in magical temples and we're back in fantasyland.

Obsidian Gate also share Bal-Sagoth's flair for sheer bombast and over-the-top orchestration to the point of utter cheesiness, as well as bits of ludicrously melodramatic narration. On the whole, if you like Bal-Sagoth a lot, this will be a lot of fun, but if you don't then the same things that put you off Bal-Sagoth's music will probably drive you away from this too.
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Warthur wrote:
more than 2 years ago
That'll be because I hear a lot of Bal-Sagoth here and not much I can define as being specific to Obsidian Gate.
more than 2 years ago
Disagree whole-heartedly with this rating. You also talk too much about Bal-Sagoth and not enough about Obsidian Gate.

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