Bann: Aeschatologica

Ah, those Germans! They won't stop impressing me with their unique take on dark music. Bann is a duo consisting of lyricist Hoffarth on vocals and multi-instrumentalist Thurn. For this impressive debut album, Bann got the help of a few musicians to cover more guitars, vocals and even a violinist to increase the dramatic and symphonic edge of their art.

Aeschatologia is a concept album based on the Middle Ages. Their work is aimed at unveiling the lesser known aspects of that millennium. On those six lengthy tracks, they cover subjects like: infant mortality, the crusades as well as the church insane rule that lead to the death of thousands accused of witchcraft and heresy. This somber and sadly melodic opus of Black Metal arts is nothing short of wonders. The orchestration and melodies are simply beautiful, while depicting rather dark scenery. The whispered rasps express, in German, a very sorrowful period of the human history. You don't actually need to understand that foreign language to feel the desperate and tortured emotions being narrated by the author. Bann's music is at the crossroads between ambient and symphonic Black Metal. It is built on ambient/ orchestral keyboards, distorted riffs, mid tempos, sometimes resorting to fast paces, harmonious arpeggios / leads and those sadly beautiful violin passages. Basically, Aeschatologia is a darkly emotional beauty, bound to please many Black Metal fans.

There are only great compositions to be heard, and some are even exquisite like: "Narrenschyff", "Carmina Necrologia", "Frab der Flammen I Poli" and "Die Letzen Dinge (Aeschatolog).

Track listing:
1 - Der Geiger
2 - Scwarze Bulle
3 - Narrenschyff
4 - Carmina Necrologia
5 - Frab der Flammen: I Poli
6 - Die Letzen Dinge (Aeschatolog)

Added: March 27th 2009
Reviewer: Denis Brunelle
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 2826
Language: english

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