Year : 2013 (Massacre Records Edition)
Style : Progressive Christian Metal , Doom Metal
Country: Sweden
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 160 mb
Bio:
Veni Domine was a Christian progressive doom metal band founded in Sollentuna, Sweden in 1987.The band split up on 20 September 2014.Veni Domine combined down-tempo melodic heavy metal, symphonic metal and doom metal with occasional touches of gothic metal. The band does not clearly fit into a specific category; according to the band, in doom metal festivals they are labeled as "power metal" and in power metal events as "doom metal".During the early years, the band's lyrics dealt with apocalyptic themes from biblical point of view. Later, their lyrics were more about personal topics. Originally, vocalist Fredrik Ohlsson represented operatic, high-pitched vocals but has since shifted to more lower vocal range during the years. Fall Babylon Fall and Material Sanctuary are the band's significant, acclaimed albums. During the time when these albums were released, Veni Domine was well known in the metal scene. However, as their later albums took longer time to be released and gained average reviews, the band was more or less forgotten in the metal mainstream. Currently Veni Domine is a cult band of a small audience.
Album:
This was the last band I got a hold of from the Swedish 90’s wave that also comprised great outfits like the Candlemass extension Abstrakt Algebra, Memento Mori (also Hexenhaus), Memory Garden, Pathos, Morgana Lefay, Fifth Reason, etc. I bought the sophomore some time in the late-90’s despite the shop owner’s warning that this was some kind of epic power/progressive metal, a genre he knew I wasn’t fond of at all.The nice cover art also attracted me, I must admit, although I very seldom get tempted by such side-dishes; so what I got exposed to was some kind of epic progressive/power metal indeed… what the guy missed to mention, though, was that this stuff was also enhanced by an overt sniff of the good old doom, one that was quite close to overwriting the significance of the other mentioned genres, bringing the delivery within the vicinity of the first four Candlemass recordings. In other words, this was an absorbing complex doom metal opus that also reminded of Solitude Aeturnus’ first three, among other doom metal visionaries’ exploits.If the follow-up “Spiritual Wasteland” could also be placed squarely within the same stylistic parametres, the more prominent keyboard presence notwithstanding, the same can’t be said about “IIII-The Album of Labour”, the fourth instalment, which started flirting with more flexible progressive structures, leaving the heavy doom-laden template a bit behind, the final result recalling mid-period Queensryche, the excellent emotional vocals of Fredrik Sjoholm further consolidating the allusions to the Americans, his baritone vintage Jeoff Tate. Some of the doom and more officious gloom were brought back for the next two outings both being assured slabs of progressive atmospheric doomisms that kept the band fans at bay as at that stage the guys had virtually never put a foot wrong, truth be told, this album of labour a mere unmitigated frivolity.We reach the enlightened opus here, however, and the soundscape changes in a not very charismatic manner. The doom is largely gone again replaced by balladic/semi-balladic motifs that seem to never end, an impression cemented by the traditionally lengthy opuses among which the opening “In Memoriam” alone is 12-min long. The latter sets the tone for what follows that is by-and-large one uninterrupted melancholic idyll again recalling Queensryche, but if the Americans used to offer a few faster-paced respites on occasion, here such temptations are non-existent, the sleep-inducing environment engulfing the listener, letting him/her go just twice, on the slightly angrier and criminally more dynamic “Where the Story End”, and on “Last Silence Before Eternity” (parts of both) which try to jump up and down in a strain to enliven the setting. Alas, those remain isolated waves in a sea of tranquillity and peace, lasting for over an hour, with Sjoholm’s traditionally strong vocal performance supervising the not very eventful proceedings. In fact, his supervision is hardly necessary as again not much occurs to require that, but the man’s involvement is a great asset; it’s a pity that the musical approach doesn’t demand more dramatic, more pathos-like exploits from him.As a compilation of “best of ballads” of some sorts this effort would have been pretty decent, but a brand new material of such serene lyrical nuances of such epic length would come as too much even for the biggest pacifists out there. Just when the previous showing “Tongues” started moving around with more dynamic, more energetic riff-patterns comes this one to put everyone back to a passive, hibernating state. Certainly, a part of the fanbase would be pleased with such a sprawling anti-climactic delivery, the guys have never been the fastest-playing act on the planet, as truth be told doom and the ballad are not such distant relatives, and the musical proficiency remains on a high level throughout… it’s just that the thick introspective clout instilled from the very first notes would outstay its welcome way before this whole soothing saga is over…well, Babylon has long since fallen under the rowdy fortress-tumbling sounds of the guys’ past works; obviously at this stage they’re not very keen on taking down another stronghold. But seriously, have you started giving sedatives to this batch recently… Domine?
Line Up:
Fredrik Sjöholm - Vocals (1987-present) - See also: ex-Zoic, ex-Seventh Seal
Torbjörn Weinesjö - Guitars (1987-present) - See also: Audiovision, ex-Seventh Seal, ex-DivineFire, ex-Hero
Thomas Weinesjö - Drums (1987-present) - See also: Audiovision, ex-Seventh Seal, ex-Hero, ex-Saviour Machine
Klas Pettersson - Bass
Olov Andersson - Keyboards, Vocals (backing)
Tracklist:
01. In Memoriam 11:55
02. Farewell 06:20
03. Hope 08:14
04. Where the Story Ends 08:06
05. Preludium 01:38
06. Last Silence Before Eternity 07:05
07. The Hour of Darkness 07:53
08. Waiting 06:52
09. Oh Great City 2014 09:32
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
