Customer Reviews

Nexus Polaris

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am not typically a black metal fan, but, then again, Nexus Polaris is not your typical black metal album. Therefore, black metal purists beware! While there are more straightforward black metal tracks on this album, most tracks contain stunning melodies, and some could even be described as bordering on the extremely heavy power metal line.

One undeniably black component of this album is the vocals. Operatic female vocals from Cradle of Filth's Sarah perfectly complement the deep woods, under the bridge troll-witch growl of Lex Icon. I usually cannot stand this style of growling, but it fits so perfectly on this album. In fact, it is precisely this type of congruency which makes this album one of the most treasured in my collection. When Lex and Sarah exclaim, "But still the sun refused to move!" during my favorite track, "Bringer of the Sixth Sun", absolute chills run down my spine as the vocal delivery and lyrical content work with the instrumentation to create a truly grandiose, larger than life, epic sound. At times, Nexus Polaris sounds like THE definitive dark opera.

This neo-classically melodic sound is precisely what will have these songs so lodged in your head that you will find yourself humming the riffs and singing the lyrics even when you are not listening to the album; not a common effect of black metal.

This memorable quality is created by absolutely stellar musicianship, from the absolutely stellar Hellhammer on drums, Sverd on keyboards, and dual guitar attack of Blackheart and Astennu. At times, these axemen truly recall memories of such classic double attacks as Hanneman and King, and Smith and Murray. With these galloping riffs, Sverd offers up plenty of keyboard runs which echo the piano stylings of history's most well-known composers. At other times, he simply provides the eerie vampiric atmospherics most commonly associated with black metal. Regardless, one of the strongest selling points of this album in my opinion is how prominently the keys are featured. While they never suffocate the more traditional metal drums and guitars, they are always audible, and this album would not be nearly as good without them.

Now, do we even need to discuss Hellhammer given that we all know that everything he touches turns to gold? Of course we do. This is my favorite album featuring Hellhammer. Considering the heavy black metal leanings, relentless double-bass blasts are present, and we all know nobody plays double-bass like Hellhammer. What I like about his performance on this album is the subtle precision and style he attacks the rest of his kit with. After your first epiphany with this album, go back and listen to it again, trying hard just to listen to the drums. I think Hellhammer may perhaps be underrated in that he so meticulously, successfully, and effortlessly adds such small touches which have dramatic effects on the music.

Before ending this review, I must come back to what makes this album so cherished in the metal community: the uncanny way in which this band pulled together all the ingredients in the most perfect way. On tracks like "Nexus Polaris" the listener is immediately sucked into a black hole of galloping guitars and drums, punctuated by synthesizer bell effects and polarized clean vocals and growls. The effect may be desrcibed as a Dimmu Borgir/Cradle of Filth dramatization with the crediblity and earnestness of Sons of Northern Darkness Immortal.

Easily the most remarkable aspect of this album is that this originality and infectious style is present on every single track. I can honestly say that this is one of the few albums in my large collection that is placed in the CD player and played the entire way through. There are no weak moments on this album. While Kovenant did not impress me with any of their other albums, I will fight to the death their importance in the progression of extreme metal because Nexus Polaris represents a sound which, upon its release, had never been heard before. And more importantly for the solidification of this album's place in the annals of metal, Nexus Polaris also represents a sound which will never be replicated in the future either.

This album is excellent. As it stands, Nexus Polaris is a shining example of black metal at it's best. The musicianship is excellent, and rather than try to fit in into a specific category of music, i simply let in all has to offer. Excellent guitar work, nice vocals (lyrics are printed in the insert), and female vocals that provide the sweetest backing. Hellhammer's drum work is incredible, and he shines through on every track. The keyboards provide a more involving atmosphere than anything i can remember listening to in a long time. And, to top it all off, it comes in a sweet package, with excellent artwork. This album is a fantastic collaboration effort between some of black metal's finest musicians, and i recommend it whole-heartedly to the music enthusiast. If i were to have anycomplaints at all, it would be that there mere 44 minutes of music it offers left me wanting to hear more. But as it is, its short & sweet. Sweet as hell. Buy it, or miss out on a shining moment.

The band called Covenant play awesome music on this album titled "nexus polaris" there are eight songs that have alot of rhythm and are heavy. I have to say that the use of the keyboards is used alot through out the album. The album time is around 43 minutes, and 39 seconds for the eight songs you will here. Nagash who is the lead singer on this album sings on other albums he has done in the past. He was the vocalist on a band called "TROLL". Once you open the cd, you will see the lyrics will be posted, along with quality pictures of the band members. Sverd is the keyboardist, Hell hammer is the drummer, Astennu is the guitar player, and Nagash is Bass & Vocals on the album, and Black heart is the other guitarist. This music is highly recommended to all metal fans who want to listen to something new.

The Covenant's Nexus Polaris is a layered and complex album with superb production that has set the standard for years to come. From Lex Icon's searing vocals to the majesty of Steinar Sverd Johnsen's beautiful keyboards to the blistering drum mastery from Hellhammer, this album is quite possibly one of my favorites ever. The bands sound is so cohesive on this album that every song sounds like a new masterpiece, never treading over the same path all the while pushing a new threshold in every aspect. Lex's vocals shine on every song while Sverd's keyboards enhance every track, especially his piano work on Bizzare Cosmic Industries which would later set the mold for his piano work on Star-Crossed from the album The Sham Mirrors by Arcturus. The layered guitars of Astennu and Blackheart mesh together perfectly and create a dark atmosphere that has become The Covenant's signature sound on this album. Topping it all of is Sarah Jezebel Deva's soaring vocals floating in and out of the album, but never making it too effeminate even for the most hardcore black metal fan. In fact, I consider this one of her most amazing vocal performances from any band she has ever sang for.

Nexus Polaris will reshape and remold the way you perceive black metal in general, and will leave you wanting more. The only thing I still cannot grasp is that this album was released 8 years ago, definitely engraving their place in the history books for many, many years.

Before I discovered this album, I could never have imagined the concept of melodic, atmospheric black metal--or that any band could pull off something like it. Since then, Nexus Polaris has opened my eyes. I've never heard metal like this before, and I probably never will again. The sound is so original, and yet so cohesive, that it could only have been created by some of the best musicians on the extreme metal scene--and, indeed it was.


The fiendish, snarling vocals of Nagash (now known as Lex Icon, formerly of Dimmu Borgir, currently in The Kovenant and Crowhead), two outstanding guitarists in Astennu (Dimmu Borgir and Carpe Tenebrum) and Blackheart, keyboardist Sverd (Arcturus), the remarkable Hellhammer (Mayhem) on drums, and finally the backing female vocals of Sarah Jezebel Deva (Cradle of Filth) all come together on this album, producing a sound that is at once lethal, beautiful, and mesmerizing. Everything about Nexus Polaris falls perfectly into place--not just the musicianship, but the lyrics, CD artwork, and production as well. Nuclear Blast (the record label) has been known for excellent quality, but even for them, this is something special.


Although I'd never heard of this album until recently, Wikipedia states that "Nexus Polaris was released in 1998 and was hugely successful (due to Nuclear Blast's promotion), allowed Covenant to do a two-week tour, and was on national Norwegian television for six days. This was also a sign of Covenant moving from black metal to cyber metal and space metal. Soon Covenant found themselves nominated for a Norwegian Grammy. They attended and won for Best Hard Rock band (the first ever in history)."


I have to say they deserved the success. Nexus Polaris was, and still is, a singular achievement. It's something that every extreme metal fan should experience.

While this may not be black metal, compared to other acts such as Mayhem,Burzum,Emperor, or Dark Throne, this still is an interesting piece of music. The keyboards by Sverd are awesome, and I love every bit of them. However, I was a bit disappointed when I first heard them because it reminded me a lot of Dimmu Borgir's Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. Secondly, I am very pleased with the percussion done by Hellhammer in this album. He is a top notch drummer, and while I haven't necessarily heard his work with Mayhem, i'm sure he was even great with Mayhem as well. Nagash has a very interesting voice, because at times he can sound like Shagrath, from Dimmu Borgir, and at others the raspyness from Dark Throne or the screeches from Cradle of Filth. The guitar work on this album is also very well done. I love the solos because they just fit so well with the whole premise of the album. Finally, Sarah Jezebel Deva from Cradle of Filth does a fine job on this album. She truly is a great vocalist, but the woman they have now on Animatronic and Seti is much better, and her voice is much more beautiful then Sarah's. However, I am not putting Sarah down any less. I suppose if you are true black metal purist and can't stand anything else, DO NOT buy this album. However, if you enjoy all sorts of metal, and music alike, give this one a try.

I have been into the metal scene for over 15 years and can honestly tell you: if you have never listened to this please do! It is a work of art and one of the best albums ever! It's a bit different but that's what makes it interesting and truly enjoyable for repeat spins! Yeah, it's kind of old but let's admit some of the best material available is! Trust me: you will be glad you did!!!

Covenant graces us with a wonderful progressive/black metal album which has many great qualities. The music brings you to another dimension while beautiful synth sounds, dark/eerie male vocals, guitar virtuosity, ethereal female vocal soundscapes, and awesome speed drumming all flow and weave into the brain creating a wonderful listening experience. Some people might consider this cd a "sell-out" or being too "cheesy" for this group of Black metal musicians, however, I consider it a great progressive metal cd worthy of owning, and the music and lyrics are technically awesome. Great effort! Judge for yourself.

Nexus Polaris is a masterpiece of cosmic black metal. Here the trolls and the demons, the fairies and the witches have been brought to an universal dimension. The guitars are playing like classical strings, the drummer(HELLHAMMER) gives recital. But the vocals are something beyond imagination. The scratching of the throat on one hand and the the ethericals voices of SARAH are combined perfectly. The elite of black metal is in metting in order to crush bones!

This record is full of great musicians.Well I don't say they don't play well, but something on this recording is missing.I can't describe what it is.And if you like this kind of blackmetal you should hear the following records:Bal-Sagoth Starfire burning upon the ice-veiled throne of Ultima Thule, Limbonic Art In abhorrence dementia...and so on...those records have what's misiing from this...