Customer Reviews

Oracle Moon

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Earache's sub label Wicked World must have been ecstatic over the signing of this American likeness to such Euro greats as OPETH. Yes I said OPETH. However, just don't take that and run with it just yet. That comparative comment is not meant to be read into too deeply. GARDEN OF SHADOWS do share some characteristics with OPETH but they also share others with early AMORPHIS. With that introduction, let me better describe what Oracle Moon is all about.
I found this release one of the more interesting ones of 2000. I was somewhat blindsided by this release and quite impressed just the same. Hailing from Maryland, GARDEN OF SHADOWS are a unique product that fall into the melodic Death Metal category but harbor some eclectic quality of atmospheric richness that gives them their own sound. While I could probably dig through my collection and find other bands to compare them too, GARDEN OF SHADOWS have so much of their own personality that they deserve to be reviewed on their own terms.

Oracle Moon is a goldmine of busied strings and dense atmospheres that drift as a perpetual river of melodies. Perhaps its in the quality of the production but there is some ingredient in this release that really gives it a listening edge. This is not just another Death Metal band incorporating over-zealous melodies into their concoctions. GARDEN OF SHADOWS write long passages of fluid guitar harmonies, generally mid to slow paced, and add an attractive veil of synthesization to it all, creating a most enjoyable listen. The vocals range far into the subhuman; deep and guttural. While they don't initially seem to pair well with the music, a few listens and the two elements soon seem inseparable. It would be interesting to see the band try some other vocal approach in the future however. What truly stands out on Oracle Moon is the professionalism in overall construct of the band's songwriting and the noteworthy musicianship. Now consider that this is simply one of the most addictive recordings of 2000 (in other words its catchy as hell!) and you have a release that must find its way into your grasp if you really care much at all about atmospheric and melodic Death Metal.

Its plainly evident that this is a group of musicians that take their music seriously and take time to write intelligent and articulate songs. For that alone you need to own this but more so because Oracle Moon is just a [great]album.

It has been a long time since I heard a death metal CD that has as much passion and emotion as Oracle Moon. Each song sucks you into another dimension and doesn't let go. Tons of time changes and variations in song structure keep you enraptured from beginning to end. To miss this would be a huge mistake! AMAZING!

Oracle Moon is my favorite metal release of this year along with The Chasm's Procession to the Infraworld. Garden of Shadows is among the best of a unique breed of Brutal yet melodic Death metal that blows away the milder Gothenburg DM scene. This very technical quintet is from the DC area which is home to a more obscure DM band that also blasts called Forty Days Longing. Finally I must say to Mary the bassist, you are a Death Metal GODDESS!!!

I've never been a fan of black metal or death metal beyond certain bands that happened to catch my ear. And Garden of Shadows has definitely caught it. Their full-length debut (after their brutally excellent demo MCD, "Heart of the Corona") takes the symphonic and atmospheric cliches of the genre, and teasrs them apart into a melange of intelligent and sophisticated songwriting and instrumentation. Chad's brutal "dragonvoice" vocals are very well blended into the music, never annoying like most death metal bands. The twin-guitar attacks of Brain and Mary are excellent, Bret's drumming is great, Sean's bass is a great accompanyment. Basically a very tight-knit band, and the music is excellent. Brutal but atmospheric without being pretentious. The title track alone is worth the purchase of this album, but every song, especially "Desert Shadows" and "Citadel of Dreams," my two favorites on the album, is a good listen. This is a great album from a great band, and they are destined to go far in the world of extreme death metal. Step in and enter Garden of Shadows!

This is a fine death metal album. There is alot of Melody in here. They kind of sound a little bit like Opeth . So fans of Opeth would like Garden of Shadows. I think this is a essential piece of any metal collection. Most metalheads should pick this up. Very fine musicianship and songwriting skills on this release. I am recommending this to all metalheads.

Sadly, this exeptional band is on indefinite hiatus; but what they left behind is a truly brutal and mystical experience. The music here cannot really be confined to one genre, mixing Black Metal and Progressive Metal with a healthy dose of Gothic Metal via ambient keyboards and spacious production value. The most notable aspects regarding the musicianship are the intricate and inter-weaving lead guitars using both melodic structure and amazing technicality. In layman's terms, "The lead guitar work here rocks!" The second key element to the absolute success of all the songs here is some fantastic and very interesting drumming. The lead vocals are of the Death Metal variety, leaning toward deep and guttural inflections somewhere between Opeth and Nile. Even the bass player here has his moments. With such a short track listing one might immediately think this is a short album. Not true. Here are the songs and their song lengths:

Oracle Moon--8:46
Citadel of Dreams--8:18
Into Infinity--:25
Dissolution of the Forms--8:14
Continuum--9:27
Desert Shadows--9:54
Twilight Odyssey--8:26

With such lengths to these magnificent songs it would be thought that at some point there would be a down moment. It never happens. If you crave Black Metal with a sense of epic adventure, or are simply an undying advocate for Progressive Metal in all its forms, this CD is for you. When I first looked up this CD a couple other recommendations included "Puritanical Euphoric Mysanthropia" by Dimmu Borgir and "The Sound of Perseverence" by Death. I own and thoroughly enjoy both of those CDs. But it would be remiss of me not to mention that this album has been noted as a recommendation in addition to virtually every Opeth album as well. If "Oracle Moon" somehow went missing from my collection I know it would be missed...at least, until I hurriedly obtained another copy. This is an excellent addition to any Heavy Metal library. Thank you.

yes this band DOES sound as if in ruins opted for a tougher
sound on an album.