The Dust of Years [CD]

Seventh Angel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 9, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: CD
• Label: Private Release
• Run Time: 50 minutes
• ASIN: B00298O6F6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #333,068 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

British thrash legends Seventh Angel return with their first full length album in over 15 years. Seventh Angel stormed onto the scene in the late 80's and blessed the UK thrash circuit with several demos before being signed and bringing the world thrash classic "The Torment" and the thrash / doom meld of "Lament for the Weary". After multiple international tours and great album sales worldwide, the band hung it up at the end of 1992, and each of the members went their separate ways. Frontman and guitarist Ian Arkley has played in a number of bands since, the most well known being current Bombworks band My Silent Wake. Joining him are Simon Bibby and Mark Broomhead (Firefly, Detritus) and Tank on drums (Sukmunki). Rather than writing a rehash of older material like many bands who reunite tend to do, Seventh Angel has boldly tread new ground, delivering an album that still hearkens back to the classic Seventh Angel sound while drawing influences from each of the members current projects to create a brilliant soundscape that mixes thrash, doom, and a little death along with some killer haunting melodies. Ian's trademark snarls are at the forefront, but they are joined by clean vocals dominated by minor harmonics that give the music an even more sombre and dark sound. The guitar lines include crushing riffs, killer melodies, and well-placed solos, and the drums range from slow and gloomy to bombastic and in your face. The Dust of Years features 9 molten tracks clocking in at approximately an hour, and they are sure to whet any true metal fan's appetite. Current fans of Seventh Angel will be thrilled, and all fans of bands like Celtic Frost, Believer, Vengeance Rising, Candlemass, My Dying Bride, and thrash, doom, and death metal need to buy this album immediately. It may have taken over 15 years, but wait no longer to get this brilliant slab of metal! SELLING POINTS ? 8-panel foldout deluxe digipak packaging

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth The Wait!, March 12, 2010

By 

Ron Gibson - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Dust of Years (Audio CD)

Many things get better with age, and it's obvious Seventh Angel is one of those. In an age of pounding blast beats, thumping double bass, lightning guitar riffs, and monstrous growling vocals (which I love)- The Dust of Years is fresh and an interesting listen. Simon, Ian, Tank, and Mark have created a masterpiece that is class not flash. Very few can convey the emotion in their singing like Ian Arkley. The mood or atmosphere they create adds another dimension to the album. This is the best Seventh Angel yet, and I can't wait to see what they release in the future. No Seventh Angel fan can be without The Dust of Years.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars They're back!, January 23, 2010

By 

J. Mccormack (Virginia Beach, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dust of Years (Audio CD)

After 15 years the band hits hard with hints from their first releases, but with a more relevant sound. A solid base of doom metal, with bursts of thrash and death metal, this is a superb comeback. Vocally, Ian has a deeper death growl feel throughout, but combined with the frequent melodic vocal style and occasional narration, they weave a tapestry of dark and powerful story lines. ([...])

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aren't you curious..., April 13, 2011

By 

M. Burgher (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Dust of Years (Audio CD)

where Seventh Angel has been all these years? One thing they haven't been doing is getting soft. This is an album I've been waiting for since the 1991 Lament release, and I immediately snagged it up after stumbling across it on Amazon...if only it had been this easy to get the underground music we wanted in 1991?

All original lineup, new musical passion, new fresh sounds...Dust of Years absolutely delivers, and then some. For the past week in my cd player it hasn't gotten old, only more interesting. Ian and simon have expanded their vocals here to include clean upper-range and lower but tasteful death metal styles. Also there are strong hints of black metal in songs like 'In Ruins'. Comes our way a brilliant marriage of modern metal and old-school with the unique sadness and passion of SE we are used to.

Just after a couple of listens I could hear hints of influence of their piers Extol, Believer, and Schaliach, as well as tastes of Cradle and Dimmu without the overproduction. This is interesting but certainly not surprising since a lot of metal "water" has passed under the proverbial bridge from their first releases.

I was always drawn to SE for their unique sound that was rare in the genera; Ian's totally signature vocals and guitar tones and melodies, this is a step from what I knew as SE...but not over the cliffs edge. Instead, it is a new outlook and lesson on what 'new metal' can be, and a step in a proper direction in my opinion. Honest, passionate, real, delicate, heavy, and much needed are words that come to mind after the last note. Don't think, buy it.