Customer Reviews

Awaking the Centuries

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

 

 

This music bears only the slightest of resemblances to death or black metal, with mostly light and airy, major-key melodies reminding me principally of Mozart, with some Germanic medieval and folk music thrown in. Occasionally there are gruff vocals, which may inspire the attribution of "death metal," but the vast majority of the music here is quite far from that.

The music is also very well done, with the jaunty nine-minute title track being a principal highlight. The "classical" parts come off as genuine, with a melange of real strings, woodwinds, and piano (and a french horn), unlike some classical-metal fusion bands who use mostly synthesizers (*cough* Rhapsody *cough*). The music sounds highly "organic" as a result. If you enjoyed Therion's latest album, especially instrumental tracks like "Flight of the Lord of Lies," you should check out Haggard immediately. The only possible complaint is that the ponderous metal guitar riffs aren't particularly inspiring, but I think they are there mostly to set a "heavy" background, in the way that a bass guitar is typically intended to do.

If, like me, you are a fan of Nightwish, Tristania and Therion, this album is definitely for you!
The arrangements successfully combine classical instruments (real ones!)with modern guitars and drums. Some pieces are light and dreamy and then explode with quite powerful guitar riffs. The grunts are not as pronounced as Tristania (for example) and the female background vocals add a nice finishing touch. This album style contains elements from Tristania, ToT but also from Rondo Veneziano and Lacrimosa (although with a lot more punch...). Although I really love this album (except track 2,what is it doing there?), I gave it only 4 stars because it is way too short (37 1/2 min) for such a steep price. You start to really enjoy the music and the CD is already over...

An excellent album, similar to Therion and other classical-inspired metal groups.

Is a master price is a OPERA PRIMA, the sound of Haggard is brutal, is dark, is gotic, is BLACK but is melodic, symphonic and very very conceptual, this is one of the best CD I ever heard----the sound of every one of the band members is important and everybody work in this CD very hard...they are excellent...

Is a master price is a OPERA PRIMA, the sound of Haggard is brutal, is dark, is gotic, is BLACK but is melodic, symphonic and very very conceptual, this is one of the best CD I ever heard----the sound of every one of the band members is important and everybody work in this CD very hard...they are excellent...

I've had this CD for quite a while. I don't listen to goth music on a regular basis but I am very pleased with this CD. The instrumets are all real, unlike other goth bands who use synthesizers for all their orchestral sounds. This album clearly has a medieval touch to it, with its nice flute interludes and cello background. If you're a real goth fan, buy this CD. I got it for free so price didn't really bother me but it is quite expensive. Good music anyway.

There's not too much for me to say here, except that I absolutely adore this album, and it strikes me as enchantingly beautiful and brings me back a couple of centuries. I love how it is written in so many different languages! English, German, Latin, Russian, and French for sure, and maybe some others I have not noticed. The combination of metal and classical music makes me heart sing and Awaking the Centuries is (for me) the standard by which all other classical metal bands are compared.

This is an awsome cd. Hard to find but was very reasonable on here. It was a used cd, but looked new when taken out of the case. Great cd though, I recommend chapter three.

if you are a musician, you would know the depth and quality of this music. medieval and death metal put together, this band started out as a small group and grew into an actual orchestra...not just a hired symphony! *yes, they do play their intruments, for those reviewers who have no idea what they're talking about* awesome.

Whoever said you can't teach an old dog new tricks has not heard this amazing 2001 effort by the country legend, now known simply as HAGGARD. Haggard trades the cowboy hat for a mullet wig, and his vintage Martin guitar for a wicked scepter of scorching goth metal. (Big thanks for Pat Boone for possibly inspiring this work with his "In a Metal Mood" album!)

Haggard's not-so-young but highly energetic band puts the listener through a punishing sonic workout while Merle puts his voice through every sound processor known to man, and comes out sounding like Satan (that is, if Satan were breathing helium and smoking crack!) You may not recognize them here, but Hargus "Pig" Robbins burns up the keyboards, while Jerry Scheff and Ronnie Tutt also add a heavy new dimension to their playing. Amazing! Haggard may be old in years, but his spirit is young! Look for him on the cover of the new goth edition of AARP Magazine this winter.