Customer Reviews

Opus Magnum

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

 

 

Austria's HOLLENTHON is back to please your ears with more symphonic/black metal-ish goodness. As far as genre's go HOLLENTHON has always been hard to categorize, which is a good thing if you want to listen to something different.

My review covers the Mp3 version of the album. I downloaded the promising-sounding tracks yesterday and I did not hear any voice overs, so it seems that this issue complained about in earlier reviews has been fixed.

"On the Wings of a Dove" -- Despite the innocent title, this song is anything but. Starts off symphonic and guitar-heavy, weaving Gregorian-like choirs in and out. It's almost funny hearing the singer growl "on the wings of a Dove!!" But key words in the lyrics like "nuclear winters" and "ash to ash, dust to dust" let you know that this song is not some flowery happy song, although it does have its softer moments provided by the choirs.

"To Fabled Lands" -- The next track has the same musical ingredients as the last but there is a really good guitar part at 1:30.

"Son of Perdition" -- Starts off with trumpets before going into guitars and grunts. Clear female vocals make a short but refreshing debut towards the end.

"Ars Moriendi" -- Starts out like "Vilest"-era HOLLENTHON. Another good guitar part around 2:45. There are choirs and female opera-like vocals, but they are used sparingly.

"Misterium Babel" -- This last track harkens back to their first album which was filled with Middle-Eastern sounds. Slow and more mellow with clear male vocals and growling, yet still maintaining a hypnotic quality to it.
EDIT: The first part of this song is played on a FIREFLY episode (the one with the brothel, I believe).

Finally, once again there is some creative and twisted artwork for their album.

Honestly I wasn't too impressed with this album on my first listen, but after a few more it slowly starts to sink in. HOLLENTHON along with MENHIR prove that even after 6-7 years between albums you can still create a winner.

Hollenthon

The CD cover to Hollenthon's "Magnum Opus" depicts a creature with hundreds of arms reaching towards the sky. It's an appropriate image to convey the over-the-top complexity that forms Hollenthon's multi-faceted sound. I was already a fan of Hollenthon's two previous albums "Domus Mundi" and "With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell" so they had a lot to live up to with "Opus Magnum". I have an open mind to be sure but I was still wary of Hollenthon's new tour de force being able to live up to my lofty expectations after being a fan of their thunderous predecessors. Well, Hollenthon have won me over and will likely ensnare many of you extreme metal with the eight remarkable compositions on "Opus Magnum".

Hollenthon arises from the ranks of twisted death metallers Pungent Stench and is led by multi-instrumentalist Martin Shirenc. With their first album "Domus Mundi", Hollenthon set a precedent for bombastic, multidimensional metal with their complex blend of classical, Middle Eastern, black metal, death metal and power metal influences. At the time, it was a unique concoction. "With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell" followed in 2001 and continued Hollenthon's creative streak and still managed show up the competition with its multi-pronged assault. And finally, we have "Opus Magnum", a not so modest title for a grandiloquent album that's another striking foray into the symphonic, multi-metallic universe and a worthy successor to the Hollenthon canon.
Shirenc and crew have unleashed an album that's saturated with intelligence and intricacy. Hollenthon have a way of making their symphonic neo-classical sound accessibility without sacrificing their intelligence. You can still love traditional metal and really enjoy the pomp that Hollenthon create.

While many ostentatious metal bands rely on sometimes-overlong songs and albums that squeeze into a 79 minute CD, Hollenthon keep their musical attacks around the five minute mark with only one song just passing eight minutes. Since I'm a progressive rock fan, I was hoping that there would be more lengthy epics to fill my hungry soul but Hollenthon have opted for a leaner approach. The songs alternate between bludgeoning riffs and softer interludes and for every moment of brutality and heaviness, there are plenty of melodic moments to complement the mix. There are also plenty of choral elements that sound as if a real chorus of both men and women was hired. Add to this Shirenc's wife adding beautiful vocal passages and you have an approximation of a true symphonic metal band. Shirenc's lead rasps also lend a certain malevolence to the whole sordid affair here. Production and song-wise, "Opus Magnum" scores major points.

Hollenthon would have us believe that they're a symphonic black metal band and that what they're selling is worth our limited attention spans and cash. "Opus Magnum" may well be a worthy purchase with its bombast and epic scope that's nearly on par with fellow pompous metallers like Dimmu Borgir and Therion. In fact, Hollenthon surpassed my expectations. In a world where trailblazers like Dimmu Borgir, Emperor and Cradle of Filth have led the symphonic black metal revolution and wowed many of us fans, Hollenthon has formed a minor classic with "Opus Magnum" and have succeeded in creating a unique and worthy addition to the hallowed halls of the extreme metal world.

I own the previous two Hollenthon albums, With Vilest Worms to Dwell and Domus Mundi, and I consider this to be their strongest effort to date. I understand that a sample copy with copyright voice-overs was being sold on Amazon for a while, which prompted some anger and a couple of one star reviews. This version of Opus Magnum is the real deal and is exceptional in every way. Hollenthon has even thrown in some very nice guitar solos, which were lacking in the last two cds. Be prepared to be impressed! I am very happy with this music.

Hollenthon are a project Symphonic Death Metal band from Austria, featuring members of other Austrian extreme metal bands such as Pungent Stench and Belphegor.

For those who are not familiar with this sub-genre of Death Metal.. the music basically features your typical metal quartet of death / black metal vocals, guitars, bass and drums accompanied by interludes of what appears to be a full classical symphonic orchestra and classical choirs.

The fact that Hollenthon are a germanic metal band explains the fact that Opus Magnum is heavily influenced by composers such as Richard Wagner and his melodramatic Operas, and Carl Orff's choral music, which have influenced pretty much *every* single cheesy hollywood soundtrack featuring choirs..

This album features some of the best combination of classical wagnerian music and death metal put to record.
The music is always full of interesting twists and turns, with a heavy melodramatic symphonic bent and occasional female vocals.

Despite the symphonic accompaniment, the songs are always heavy and don't stray too far into melodic territory, like some of the female fronted symphonic metal bands from Scandinavia.

A very interesting and original album that is worth a listen.

2008's Opus Magnum is the third epic masterpiece from Austrian metal band Hollenthon, which is essentially a one-man project by Pungent Stench member Martin Schirenc. It's hard to say exactly where Hollenthon's sound lies. Is it death metal? Black metal? Blackened death? Whatever you call it, Hollenthon's sound incorporates elements of death and black metal as well as epic symphonic elements, vocal choirs and exotic instruments. It's like evil soundtrack metal that's somewhere between Therion and Dimmu Borgir.

Opus Magnum is very similar to Hollenthon's debut Domus Mundi in its grand scale and perfect mix of the glorious and the guttural. Blastbeats and neck-snapping rhythms are paired with sweeping orchestral sounds. Sinister growled vocals give way to tranquil female vocals (and no, this isn't one of those "beauty and the beast" bands) and dramatic choirs and back again. The melodies are incredible and exotic, and the whole album is just an awesome experience.

Opus Magnum is another incredible epic from Hollenthon, and deserves to be heard by anyone who's a fan of bands like Dimmu Borgir, Stormlord, Therion, Melechesh and Nile. If you're a fan of epic, symphonic metal (and can handle the aggression and harsh vocals), chances are you'll be blown away by this one.

Edition Notes: The limited edition version of Opus Magnum comes in a digipack and includes the bonus track "Bazaar," which is actually a cover of the old Tea Party song. There is also a video clip for "Son of Perdition."

Does fire really equal deliverance. Does anyone really care, when it sounds so cool. I know I'm dating myself by using the word cool. It's like a concert with a choir chanting in the backgroung. Woman with pretty voice sings on rare occasion. Sounds all anti-christian. The there are some good solos. Song three and song seven are highlight of the album. The rest is slightly mediocre. Oh yeah, it's loud. Loud music is good for you. It's good for plants, It must be good for me.

Hollenthon are a project Symphonic Death Metal band from Austria, featuring members of other Austrian extreme metal bands such as Pungent Stench and Belphegor.

For those who are not familiar with this sub-genre of Death Metal.. the music is basically features your typical metal quartet of death metal vocals, guitars, bass and drums accompanied by interludes of what appears to be a full classical symphonic orchestra and classical choirs.

The fact that Hollenthon are a germanic metal band explains the fact that Opus Magnum is heavily influenced by composers such as Richard Wagner and his melodramatic Operas, and Carl Orff's choral music, which have influenced pretty much *every* single cheesy hollywood soundtrack featuring choirs..

This album features some of the best combination of classical wagnerian music and death metal put to record.
The music is always full of interesting twists and turns, with a heavy melodramatic symphonic bent and occasional female vocals.

Despite the symphonic accompaniment, the songs are always heavy and don't stray too far into melodic territory, like some of the female fronted symphonic metal bands from Scandinavia.

A very interesting and original album that is worth a listen.

I have some of the previous releases from this band and I can tell this is not disappointing , it keeps the originality and quality of their previous releases

As the same time I fist lisened to that disck, I was just Thinking: That's exactly the way that Hollenthon uses to play. Agresive and Strong. This record`s very synphonic and with the same cuality level that the band allways uses to play.

The Album this site is allowing to be downloaded in Mp3 format is not the real thing. Tracks 4-8 are interrupted by some women saying "your listening to the new Hollenthon album, Opus Magnum. I payed money for this product and would appreciate if someone would contact me with the actual product, or in the worst scenario, a full refund.