ARTESIMIA - "SO LEGENDS TELL" (DAWN OF SADNESS RECORDS)

 

Some bands...well...I don't know why anyone gives them the opportunity to release an album. After hearing Opera IX completely rape Iron Maiden's "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" on the "Call to Irons" tribute album, I was cured once and for all from a desire to check this band out. Another such band, though perhaps not as dramatically bad as Opera IX, is Artesimia.

It hurts to have to write this...Dawn of Sadness are cool people, an independent label, and they faithfully send press releases and, now, a first review copy. But I can't help it...

"So Legends Tell" is a horrible, whining, irritating album. If you have fillings in your teeth (and want to keep them), don't listen to it. If you feel like someone's walking over your grave when a singer sings horribly out of key...don't touch this one. If, additionally, you actually know how English is supposed to be pronounced, don't listen to the lyrics!

It has to be said that, musically, there are moments that impress. When the generally thin-sounding compositions suddenly get heavy, backed by massive sonic carpets of keyboard, for example. But these moments, unfortunately, never last long enough.

RK

 

Written July 1999

 

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