Band: Netherbird
Title: The Ghost Collector
Label: Pulverised Records
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx
Release date: 18/07/2008
Review: CD

The Swedish formation Netherbird was formed at the beginning of Winter 2004 by Nephente, Bizmark and Grim, yet in mean time the latter did leave the band. After a few mini-releases, The Ghost Collector is the first official full length studio album, lasting for over an hour and including material from the former singles and EP’s. The album was recorded at different locations, such as Studio Underground, the Fredman Studio and the Berno Studio, and again the duo did work with several guests, among which Adrian Erlandsson (ex-Cradle Of Filth, Brujeria, Tenet, The Haunted, At The Gates, Nemhain, In Flames, Christian Death etc), Daniel ‘Mojjo’ Moilanen (Engel, The Project Hate, ex-Dark Funeral, ex-Runemagick, ex-Relevant Few), Kitty Saric (Decadence), Skinny (Deathstars), Janne Saarenpää (ex-The Crown, Angelblake) and Brice Leclercq (Dissection, Nightrage). Musically Netherbird stand for a melodic, semi-orchestral and gothic form of Black Metal with elements from Death Metal, Gothic Metal and Doom Metal and indeed, as you can guess this results in a complete lack of ‘own face’. Most of the time, I cannot get rid of a Cradle Of Filth-feeling and that’s not such a nice thought. Yet I have to admit that the variation gives the whole a positive swing. The many tempo-changes, the acoustic or bombastic intermezzos and intros, the influences from the other (Metal) styles, it all makes The Ghost Collector worth listening to. I was afraid it would be too hard to get through it (more than an hour, can you imagine?!), yet I could stand it. Nevertheless, the clichés (female voices, symphonic or neo-classical orchestrations, choirs, the typical Swedish melodies, …) are sometimes shamelessly ridiculous and this makes the whole somewhat cheap and childish. Yet, as said before, a few parts are more than acceptable and it is evident that Nephente and Bizmark (sometimes) know how to create a fine darkened atmosphere. Recommended to fans of Cradle Of Filth, Eternal Conspiracy, Dismal Euphony or Furia.

70/100

Ivan Tibos.