Prowling Death Records/Century Media
www.myspace.com/triptykonofficial
www.triptykon.com
Review: Miguel Blardony, 05.02.2010
For the benefit of the unenlightened out there, Triptykon is Celtic frost founder Tom G. Fischer's newest endeavor. Fans bowled over by the Monotheist swansong/comeback Tom and his former band released a few years back are bound to embrace this Eparistera Daimones which translates as 'to my left, Satan.' Driving a spear into the bloated carcass of redundant black metal, Triptykon enter the devil-worshipping fray armed with creepy ambience, incinerating speed, and evil mood. Such is the case on Goetia, the frightful album opener whose dull start is a build up for the gritty crunch that follows. It's an epic seven minutes of Tom's pained enunciations, sorrowful guitar melodies, droning bases lines from the Vanja Slajh chick, and teeth loosening percussion. It's a wonderful set of ingredients conspiring to create the unique Triptykon flavor.
The music takes a step backward on Abyss Within My Soul where Candlemass and Paradise Lost seem to have joined forces. Though they're a band who prefer casting gloom and doom, Triptykon are equally adept at faster musical fare. In Shrouds Decayed might prove the turning point of the album for impatient listeners. If you cannot stomach this bludgeoning dirge, then you will not survive the rest of Eparistera Daimones. For those appreciative of its manifold nightmares however, brief reprieve arrives in the interlude Shrine, which are pure frightful sounds laden with sorrow and the teeth gnashing. A Thousand Lies marks the return of the band's thrash metal inclinations and the album enters a ferocious stretch until the sudden keyboard driven breakdown on the churning Myopic Empire.
As the album enters its final stages of decay, My Pain quietly makes its entrance and eases the tension inflicted by the last few songs. Filled with the band's characteristic ambience and the gentle notes of a piano, it's perfect background music until the whale sized The Prolonging stumbles in and boils for a good 19 minutes. For those contemplating a purchase/download of the album, be forewarned about the production: it's quite raw since an unpolished mix lends the whole opus it's noxious atmosphere. Even the solid musicianship may try the patience of many, though foremost among the trio behind Tom is guitarist V. Santura, whose icy licks can trigger goose bumps. Perhaps the only downside here is ears unfamiliar to Tom Gabriel Fischer's past work may find the album's many contemplative moments boring and repetitive.
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Driving a spear into the bloated carcass of redundant black metal, Triptykon enter the devil-worshipping fray armed with creepy ambience, incinerating speed, and evil mood.
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