CIEN - Redemption
Godz Ov War Productions
It's December, a month where I play a lot of black metal which falls in with the weather of the season. When I lived in Alaska years ago I learned about something called "Cabin Fever". Basically it's too cold to go outside so you hunker down inside where it's warm. But eventually things like alcoholism or suicide come about to those who can't handle it.
With that understanding I came to appreciate the whole deppresive side genre of black metal especially from bands in cold climates. Now here we have a band from Poland called CIEN. They're a five piece act who've been around for over a decade and this is their third full length. Now be that as it may I have a friend who lives in Krakow, Poland. And according to her, she and her family (husband and kids) are doing fine. Everything is typical.
But anyways it's ironic that I'm checking out this release after I was listening to some late night after work SHINING from Sweden. CIEN have some similarities as far as sounding depressive, angry and mournful. Albeit SHINING are not mournful at all. But the comparisons are there especially with the song structures. The rhythms are all worthwhile. And the seal here is vocalist Ashgan who sounds as if he's a victim dying by a thousand cuts.
Which brings me to something not so nice. The vocals are too forward in the mix. The music should be pulled up to equal the vocals. On this release the sound is all Ashgan in agony while the music is subdued. To me that's the problem. I think Ashgan is amazing with his vocal style in total fuckin agony. It just sounds as if the music was done and Ashgan came in to sing his best without combining the two well enough. Be that as it may I like what this band is doing and look forward to more in the future.
LISTEN HERE:
https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/redemption
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