Sacramentum

Far Away From the Sun (1996)

Phrases of melody, burst from within a dark, misty, fog-like atmosphere that is created by the fuzzy distortion and the battering of the drums (not quite Immortal blast-style, but in the same vein). Despite this comparison, Sacramentum distance themselves from wall of noise Black Metal and raw black metal aesthetics on Far Away From the Sun by focusing on the inherent melodicism possible in the black metal framework, taking scales and ideas from stalwarts such as Iron Maiden, combined with classical influences. Often more free-flowing than ambient these heavy metal ideas are shrouded under the darkness of black metal ideal, and given a depth of romanticism in mood (the positing of the soul as forming part of the sublime). Songs develop emotively, as themes are stretched through the gamut of experience, often not resolving fully due to their existential pondering over the human predicament. This beautiful, thought provoking music is full of subtle gestures towards life and over-coming man's inherent mortality and our endless search for meaning irrational universe.