Iter Viator

Star of Ash (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 14, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: The End Records
• ASIN: B00007JGVJ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #359,312 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do YOU know how to classify this?!?!, November 28, 2003

By 

Matt Stoessel (Tolland, CT USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Iter Viator (Audio CD)

Star of Ash is a pretty good band. They use entirely female vocals (at least on this album). The music sometimes sounds like black metal and sometimes doom metal, but is for the most part, a kind of twisted darkwave. Of course, most darkwave sounds twisted. Some of you might be looking at the track listing and notice that there are only 7 songs. The CD clocks in somewhere at around 42 minutes with an 11 minute closing song.

Overall, the music is very beautiful. Even if you aren't in the mood to listen to it, certain parts of certain songs will stand out as what you did want to listen to at the time. This brings me to my next point. Tracks 4 and 6 are the heaviest, with parts of 6 sounding as heavy as something by Emperor (the masters of black metal). But also in track 6 is one of the most well- woven in piano parts I've ever heard. There's also some instrument similar to a violin in it, but I can't put my finger on it. Actually, you might go as far to say that the CD is a bit like "Lake of Sorrow" by The Sins of thy Beloved - a doom metal band. This is heavier, more upbeat, and there are no growls, but the frequent use of soft spots throughout the songs give it this feeling.

The entire first track is keyboards of some sort leading right into the drumless and guitarless beginning of the 2nd track. I really can't say that there is anything wrong with this CD. My biology teacher absolutely loved it and he listens to all darkwave music. Fans of anything with female vocals should find something they like in Star of Ash, whether it be The Sins of thy Beloved, Theatre of Tragedy, Nightwish, Tristania, Edenbridge, After Forever, or even Opera IX. Also, if you like black metal bands who stick with softer, more keyboard oriented songs, such as Dimmu Borgir in their Puritanical CD, then you also might find this CD to be of your liking.

That's about all I have to say about this album. See my other reviews when you get the time.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars F*ing Genius., April 12, 2007

By 

Scott Bilby "photophiliac" (Columbia, SC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Iter Viator (Audio CD)

Having obvious ties to the Scandanavian Black Metal Scene has virtually nothing to do with the quality and character of this music!!

It is enigmatically ethereal incorporating electronic/glitch elements into Julee Cruise/Jarboe type vocals. Haunting and atmospheric, this cd is a treasury of magick without violence. Don't misunderstand..I love her husband's work (Ihsahn, Emperor) etc., but this album truly stands on its own in a dark, orchestral gothic sense without having any traces of cheesiness or melodrama.

To the wanker who 'heard this was like' some other band. Duh...listen to a snippet online, read a review, or get better and more knowledgable friends...don't review and slander someone's artistic creation based on some ridiculous and unresearched hearsay.

Ihsahn and Heidi would not be proud. A true Black Metaler would eviscerate such stupidity.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Wanker!!!!, June 30, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Iter Viator (Audio CD)

Sorry, I know I'm a children, but who does this Black Jesus clown think he is? To regard a genius, who in the first place whould'nt put his mark on a project like Peccatum if he didn't think it was brilliant...like Kristoffer Rygg (Hope I spelt it right!). You need too get a clue on what music is really about wanker. The genius of Ulver, Peccatum, Emperor, Zyklon, the.Gathering, Mayhem and many other bands goes beyond comprehension(can you understand that word?)....take a trip on earphones with any of these bands for half an hour and see what quality music is all about!