Interviews
Phantoms
The Pagan Winter
The Haunting
Souldive
Grand Destiny
Forsaken Symphony
The Pagan Winter
(by Andreas Katsambas; Ill Literature #13)

This mini-CD by Sear Bliss combines one new song "In the Shadow of Another World" with four songs from their 1995 demo The Pagan Winter. I suppose the incorporation of a mournful trumpet and melodic keyboards into their heavy sound classifies them as an atmosphere metal band. On the demo tracks be prepared to experience some of the most cruel vocals to be heard by a band of this genre. Unfortunately, this marriage of melodic with brutal vocals doesn't work, since the simple (and almost childish) yells throw off any harmony that the music creates. The case is otherwise on the "In the Shadow of Another World" which features a different vocalist and while the new singer is still aggressive he fits in more with the music. Compared to the rest of the songs this one portrays signs of maturity and delivers a more solid and distinctive sound. Overall, the album kind of left me with mixed feelings but this Hungarian band shows a progression toward a positive direction that may lead to something in the future.

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