| CD REVIEW While Heaven Wept |
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Band : While Heaven Wept On February 6, 2009 this Dale City (Virginia, USA) based Epic Doom Metal act performed at Germany's Hammer Of Doom festival, a performance which was recorded on both audio and video for posterity (hence also the subtitle, eh!?). With their 3rd album Vast Oceans Lachrymose out only months ago (review by colleague Cosmicmasseur posted 06/11/2009), it's not surprising the band played quite a bit off that album, opening the concert with the album's instrumental title track. Other songs off the album include parts 1-3 of “The Furthest Shore” and “Vessel”. Off their 2003 sophomore album Of Empires Forlorn (which I reviewed back then) come “Soulsadness”, “The Drowning Years”, and the title track, and off the band's 1998 debut album Sorrow Of the Angels, we're treated to the lengthy (almost 19 minutes) “Thus With A Kiss I Die”. If you've never heard WHW, but are into Doom Metal with Epic proportions, I urge you to get acquained with this truly fine band, who are só in-tune with each other as to allow each and everyone in the band to shine through. And singer Rain Irving is like the male incarnation of a siren (you know, those mystic female sea creatures which used to lure sailors into diving into the water, and then drowned 'em), as you will be able to witness from the songs posted at myspace.com/whileheavenwept. For some reason the CD does not include the concert's encore “To Wander The Void” (a 4th track off the most recent studio album), but that song IS included in the DVD (the band's first, according to the footnotes), which also includes a 20-minute interview from Streetclip TV, 2 backstage rehearsal clips, and alternate live versions (recorded on August 1st of last in Puttsburgh) of “The Furthest Shore (Parts 1-3)”, “Soulsadness”, and “Thus With A Kiss I Die”. Live album, so no rating, but definitely an addition to the year-lists! Tony. |
