Barathrum - Review

Metal Kings http://www.metalkings.ru

BARATHRUM
Okkult
2000
Spinefarm Records
war metal
I don’t know, I kind of have very controversial feelings about this record. I mean I have been following the band since
their very first albums when they had all of this hype about them like the drummer was playing with human bones and there
was two basses and no guitars and stuff. That was pretty cool. Of course the music was quite basic and, let’s face it,
crappy. But it really didn’t matter, because back then they were unique. They were the only ones like that. They had the
guts. Then sometime around 1998 they changed their underground label to a bigger Spinefarm and put out the «Saatana»
record, that we reviewed back in May. Well, if you heard that album, Okkult is done pretty much in the same key though it
is probably a bit more complicated and mature. The riffs have moved in the direction of old-school heavy metal a-la
Manowar, there’re more keyboards, more harmonies, and, unfortunately, less and less guts and attitude. Although still
recognisable as Barathrum this album (as well as the previous one) sounds to me more like a feeble bad-taste attempt of
the band I used to like. Then again to be objective I have to admit that musically the finns have developed quite a bit
and at is most likely that their new works will have a much wider reach and appeal than their first two records. They are
more diverse, probably more interesting and less monotonous, and they are still very evil, so... Well to draw the line at
this one, the fact that I do not like this record does not mean anything and should in no way prevent anyone from
checking it out and making their own judgement. You might find it quite good. And I am not rating it. (Troll)