Customer Reviews

Aspera hiems Symfonia/Constellation/My Angel

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

At first, this CD really impressed me. It is the band's first album with a bonus disk. The entire thing clocks in at about 83 minutes. I'm not sure what is from the first album and what's not, but I do know that the quality of this remastered version is quite wonderful. Right now, I'm listening to the wonderous keyboards in track 7. They are beyond beautiful. You don't hear music like this anywhere - black metal or not. I like to compare them to Dawn of Relic and Lunaris. Arcturus, at least in this release, fits into the sub-genre of black metal that will give you the same feeling that gothic metal does. But by no means at all is this music goth.

For the most part, the music is very beautiful with haunting vocals that are well into the background, much like in the band Summoning. This is also where part of the similarness with Dawn of Relic is seen. In these 3 bands, the voices are very severe and you can't understand what is being sung at all, but they don't draw away from the music at all.

On the first disc, the entire CD's production/quality is wonderful. Halfway through the 2nd disk, the production slips a bit, but the overall powerful sound is still there. So if you are a quality freak especially when comes to black metal, like me, this is a band to keep an eye on. You can very easily hear each instrument as it is being played. The album just has a very clean sound to it.

The other component I feel I should mention is how much of what kinds of vocals are used. Most of the album (both disks) is full blown growls. Sometimes, you will hear a very nice gothic voice, somewhat like what you hear in bands like Paradise Lost and Agathodaimon's clean vocals.

If you are into melodic and atmospheric black metal, or just want to hear something different, this is the band to look at. Once you decide that you like this genre, then go on and look at bands like Dawn of Relic and Lunaris.

When you get the time, go and check out some of my other reviews. Earlier today I reviewed a Dawn of Relic CD, if you're interested.

2002 Limited edition Import Only Remastered & remixed version of the Norwegian lack metal luminaries 1995 debut album includes new artwork plus the highly collectable 8 rarity tracks on the bonus CD including 'The Deep Is The Skies', 'Cosmojam', 'Raudt Og Svart', 'Icebound Streams And Vapours Grey' (same song as track 2, different title), 'Naar Kulda Ra', 'Du Nordavind', 'My Angel' & 'Morax'.

Well let me put it this way.. I've had it for a week now & it hasn't left my CD player yet. Someone over at Candlelight records certainly did great justice to Aspera, as the remix actually sounds better than the original! Garm's voice is amazing. I mean absolutely amazing. The vocals are clear, and about the screechiest I've ever heard Garm sing. They must have either muffled Garm's voice in the original recording, or this re-release accents his voice. It's not completely overpowering, but it stands out exactly as it should.

The guitars, compliments of Carl Tidemann, are excellent as always... Keyboards and drums of course are excellent.

Overall, the recording is a 11/10. There is absolutely no place in the CD where it's muffled, unclear, etc. Shoot, you can even hear the bass guitar in some parts! I must say, I was a bit skeptical when I heard that Arcturus was having Aspera remastered along with the addition of Constellation, and My Angel put onto a 2CD effort. The first CD is Aspera remixed... They definitely did not skimp on quality when making this CD! The remaster of Aspera is amazing. It brings out new sounds you cannot hear in the original recordings. Garm's voice is crystal clear, along with all other instruments.it is worth every penny, especially if you're an Arcturus fan.

On CD #2, the bonus tracks include two songs that were recorded during the Aspera recordings, but never made it to the final pressing. The first song is very cool, and the second song (although it's quite short) is pretty cool too. The Constellation and My Angel recordings are also on the 2nd CD. These are not remixed, but simply added to this 2CD set. A good buy for anyone who has not been able to afford to buy the original Constellation ('95) or My Angel ('91).

From the liner-notes:
The Original masters were re-visited for this release. They were in terrible shape, so we enhanced their voices slightly (some previously unheard) & did our best to clothe them properly. Their bodies remain the same. We made no attempt, however tempting, to change them. We heard: "Blasphemy!"

* Tracks 9 & 10 culled from the same masters, but never displayed before, as they were at the time (still are) considered prospects; for your amusement only!
* Tracks 11 - 14 were originally released in a limited-edition MCD of 500 copies on Samoth's Nocturnal Art Production, Norway 1994.
* Tracks 15 & 16 were originally released in a limited edition of 1,100
copies as ''My Angel'' 7-inch EP from Putrefaction Records, France in 1991
which is now almost impossible to find!

After hearing about Arcturus long ago, and hearing that it is melodic black (my favorite genre) with symphonic elements, I rushed to get this. That was 2 years ago, and now, after one again listening to this treasure, I am hooked.

Containing members of Ulver and The Kovenant, you could imagine their sound if you mixed "Nexus Polaris" with "Stormblast" and "Bergtatt". Flurries of cold, Nordic riffs blanketed by sorrowful symphonic melodies dance in your head, while the landscape of black and melodic death metal influences switches back and forth. Even if you dont like folk influenced music, I dare you to try this. I havent liked anything this good since Storm of the Lights Bane and Ashes Againts the Grain.

If you enjoyed this, I suggest Omnium Gatherum, Skyfire, and Insomnium as well.

Anyone familiar with the idea of theatrical Black Metal is certainly aware of Arcturus' Aspera hiems Symfonia. Always a great album, this Reissue makes it even better with a remaster and the addition of some promo tracks, demos, and the My Angel EP. The remastering was a great job, you can definitely hear all the instruments and voices fully for the first time and it still has that "middle of the road" production necessary for the true black metal experience. The whole album is very dark, epic, and has a cinematic element. As you listen to it from beginning to end, you feel as though you've been taking a journey from freezing northern shores into the heart of a frozen forest and back. Arcturus truly capture the theme of nordic darkness. The keyboards are not the usual symphonic overkill we've gotten used to with bands like Dimmu Borgir or Cradle of Filth. Rather the keyboards serve as the snow falling on the thick Scandinavian woods of the double bass and thin guitars. Great vocals too, they alternate between choral chanting and a screeching wail. This is Arcturus at their darkest, before they switched to avant-garde mode they were black metal heavyweights with a true flair for the theatrical. Highly recommended.

This album is surreal. What makes this album really worth it ,is the extra tracks such as Morax, Deep is the Skies and the original version of Raudt Og Svart. Get it!

the great Arcturus "Aspera Hiems..." album re-released and remastered along with ultra rare early singles. first of all, the cover and overall graphic design is a stunning vision of aurora borealis colours, bones, text ripped from books of magik and science, and the surface of the moon. the classic "Aspera..." album sounds great remastered. it def. beefs up the sound from the charmingly thinly produced original...but it doesn't beef it up *too* much. the second disc contains the rare early Arcturus stuff and it all sounds pretty neat. for those of us who were not lucky enough to pick up the originals, it's great to get a listen to some of these tracks. it's interesting to me to listen to how almost "goth" sounding that alot of the early stuff sounds. in fact, it sounds more like an un-realized, less bizzare version of alot of the material the band would later do on the metal space opera album "La Masquarade Infernale." there's even a few filler tracks from those sessions thrown on here "for your amusement only" (as the liner notes say). this is a great release for lovers of dark, spacey, mystik metal. long live Arcturus.

I just recieved my copy of this amazing disc today and I must say I am already blown away. The only other Arcturus disc I have heard before this is the latest "Sham Mirrors" and the Remix album, I was very impressed with both but the main reason I decided to buy this disc is that I am a big fan of Garms main project Ulver and he is probably my favorite vocalist of all time. This album doesn't let down in anyway, musically and production wise. Everything is extremely crisp, I would say 5 times better than the production of "The Sham Mirrors" album. The drums are mixed perfectly, the guitars and bass are perfectly matched, keyboards are high in the mix (which I like) and the vocals are very up front and clear. Highlights for me are "To Thou Who Dwellest in the Night", "Wintry Grey" and "Raudt Og Suart" (which really displays Garms amazing range from harsh to majestic clean vocals.)A top notch album that every fan of metal music should own.

Well, what can I say? Anybody who knows who Arcturus is definitely knows how godly they are....second only to the immortal Opeth, in my humble opinion. If you are a fan of Aspera, this is worth picking up. The two leftovers from the session and the two releases before it on the second disc are interesting, just so you can get an idea of where the band came from before they got to Aspera. The remastering I think both helps and hurts the album in different areas, though. It does sound a lot better technically, but one thing that made the first Aspera enjoyable was the overall sound of being cold and dark (like Norway!) The bass is pushed up, which is great, and there's a few new bits and pieces scattered around that you will pick up. My one major beef is that the keyboards come up strong over the guitar solo in "Fall of Man"...criminal!! It's one of the best solos ever!! But, as it is, this reissue is definitely worth the 5 stars. Get it!!

I just received this album on thurday, and I must say. This is definately Arcturus's best album. Hellhammer does some great drumming, Garm does great vocals. This whole album is great. The My Angel and Constellation EP's on disc to are great, I like Constellations slightly better. My Favorite track on the album is "Whence and Whither Goest the Wind". Wintry Grey is an extremely good song also.