The Black Halo

The Black Halo

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Kamelot inked their recording contract in 1994 and released their debut, Eternity, the following August. The press praised the album as one of the most promising first offerings ever. 1996 saw the arrival of Dominion, an album that sounded even more varied and diverse than its predecessor. In spring 1997 Kamelot found Casey Grillo and the former Conception vocalist Khan, who joined the group during the production of Siege Perilous. In autumn of the same year, the new line-up embarked on an extensive European tour and returned to Gate studios in Wolfsburg twelve months later to work on the album that set a new standard for the band; The Fourth Legacy. In summer 2000, Kamelot's first live album was recorded during the New Allegiance tour, which took them through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Greece and Spain. Only a few months later, Khan, Youngblood, Grillo and Glenn Barry presented their fifth studio cut, Karma, and embarked on a European tour. Epica arrived in 2003, followed by another tour as Headliners in Europe, Japan, Mexico and the US as well many top Festival appearances. The Black Halo adds another exciting and epic chapter to the band's brilliant history.

Tracks:

March Of Mephisto
When The Lights Are Down
The Haunting (Somewhere In Time)
Soul Society
Interlude I: Dei Gratia
Abandoned
This Pain
Moonlight
Interlude II: Un Assassinio Molto Silenzioso
The Black Halo
Nothing Ever Dies
Memento Mori
Interlude III: Midnight - Twelve Tolls For A New Day
Serenade

Album Description

Kamelot inked their recording contract in 1994 and released their debut, Eternity, the following August. The press praised the album as one of the most promising first offerings ever. 1996 saw the arrival of Dominion, an album that sounded even more varied and diverse than its predecessor. In spring 1997 Kamelot found Casey Grillo and the former Conception vocalist Khan, who joined the group during the production of Siege Perilous. In autumn of the same year, the new line-up embarked on an extensive European tour and returned to Gate studios in Wolfsburg twelve months later to work on the album that set a new standard for the band; The Fourth Legacy. In summer 2000, Kamelot's first live album was recorded during the New Allegiance tour, which took them through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Greece and Spain. Only a few months later, Khan, Youngblood, Grillo and Glenn Barry presented their fifth studio cut, Karma, and embarked on a European tour. Epica arrived in 2003, followed by another tour as Headliners in Europe, Japan, Mexico and the US as well many top Festival appearances. The Black Halo adds another exciting and epic chapter to the band's brilliant history.

Customer Reviews:

black halo.......2007-07-15

This cd from beginning to end is fantastic. I have finally found another band to add to my collection. I would recommend this album and any other from Kamelot.

Just background music.......2007-06-29

Blah blah blah, this CD is just so-so. It's probably good for just putting in your 100-CD changer and set the player on "random." If songs from this CD play, well fine. I judge a CD by how many times I've just got to keep playing it.........this one didn't get too much attention. It's not bad, it's just not special. This band has so much potential to do great....perhaps they need new management, a better song selector, or just a spark.

the best ever.......2007-04-13

A sterling fusion of melodic power metal and classical orchestra. The current pinnacle of progressive metal. My favorite album of all time. I've given this one to all my friends, and bought myself several copies to archive. 'Nuff said.

Finally, power metal to be taken seriously..........2007-04-12

The Black Halo is the second part of a story based around German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's version of Faust, following main characters Ariel, Helena, and Mephisto. The first part was Kamelot's previous album, Epica, and as such is basically mandatory listening for anybody who really wants to get the full experience out of The Black Halo. However, for the stubborn among us - Epica covers Ariel's abandonment of everything he has known in order to begin pursuit of the answers to the great mysteries of life. Unfortunately, things don't quite work out for him in the wide world, and he begins to long for the promising days of youth. This subsequently leads into his meeting with Mephisto, who - being the devil in disguise - arrives in the shape of a beautiful woman when Ariel is at his lowest and offers him all the pleasures a man could want. Ariel temporarily succumbs to Mephisto's offers and abandons his search. He indulges in "the life", as it were - food, drink, women, et al - and goes on to sign a contract with Mephisto that will turn out to be the proverbial deal with the devil. After all of this, he encounters his childhood love - Helena. They share a moment together, and Ariel learns that she is pregnant with his child, but Ariel ends up pushing her away in fear that the deal he had just made with Mephisto would bring her too much suffering... and as a result, Helena drowns herself in the river. Ariel becomes trapped between Mephisto's malevolence and Helena's goodness (who reappears as an angel), and Epica essentially ends there. The Black Halo, in turn, starts off with a depiction of the absolute peak of Mephisto's power over Ariel. The album sees Ariel given another chance at love (which he also rejects), and consequently descends into a dark conflict that takes place entirely in his mind. Several enlightening realizations bring him to a final confrontation with Mephisto, a tragic reunion with Helena, and ultimately culminate in a scene that portrays his death and takes the listener back to the very beginning of the overall saga. There are many little details, nuances, twists, and turns to discover along the way, but I'll leave that up to you. Suffice it to say, the concept is very well thought-out and quite moving.

The album features various guest musicians, including - guitarist Thomas Youngblood's wife Mari as the voice of Helena, Dimmu Borgir's Shagrath as the voice of Mephisto, Epica's Simone Simons as the character Marguerite, a full blown professional choir (dubbed the Kamelot Choir), the Rodenberg Symphony Orchestra, Stratovarius' Jens Johansson on keyboards, and more.

Impressive. Most impressive.

The music is rooted firmly in a power metal aesthetic. However, this is the most plausible form of power metal I have ever heard. I'm not even a fan of power metal - I could never get into the trite and boring high fantasy themes, extreme falsetto vocal nonsense, flat and predictable musicianship, and overall feeling of dreadful cheese. Kamelot, on the other hand, seem to take this inherently disastrous genre of metal and completely drop everything that makes it so laughable, substituting instead a sincere sense of sweeping power, genuine emotion, and soaring drama.

The band, from an instrumental perspective, manage to not completely fall into the trappings of their chosen genre. Save for a few essential performances from Jens Johansson (for example, his lead in the middle of "March of Mephisto" which is supposed to act as the devil's instrument), there aren't any obnoxious keyboard leads to be found here. The drums extend past incessant double bass marathons, offering moments of impactful glory (also best exemplified on "March of Mephisto"), and even some time signature changeups. The guitars range from high-speed tremolo riffing to mid-tempo work that can be quite heavy but never grates on the listener's ears; the guitar leads are highly melodious and fitting to the atmosphere of a given song and its place within the progression of the story, never really descending into pointless wankery. However, the real gem here is vocalist Roy Khan. He has immense range, but chooses to hang around the mid vocal registers for much of his delivery, which makes those moments where he extends up high or drops down low that much more moving. Those allergic to power metal shouldn't get discouraged by the "up high" comment... he doesn't indulge in the kind of over the top vocal acrobatics many have come to expect from this genre; he simply changes things up occasionally to keep a dynamic flow and stay with the mood of the song. Furthermore, his voice is filled with a fiery passion that's perfect for getting across the feelings and depicting the internal conflicts of the main character, Ariel... and he has several absolutely breathtaking performances throughout - namely, his duet with guest vocalist Simone Simons on "The Haunting (Somewhere In Time)", and his bone-chilling delivery on "Abandoned" that's multiplied ten-fold by the stellar backing of orchestra and choir.

There are three interludes during the course of The Black Halo that aren't really songs, but serve as transitionary performances that bring to light critical aspects of the storyline. The second of these, "Interlude II - Un Assassinio Molto Silenzioso" (translates into "A Very Silent Murder"), features Italian singer Cinzia Rizzo who's performance is of note. The third interlude, dubbed "Interlude III - Midnight, Twelve Tolls For A New Day", is also quite significant in that it depicts Ariel's final glimpse of Helena approaching him just before the moment of his death. His pained uttering of her name brings the album proper to a close. There is another song to be found afterwards, though. "Serenade" isn't part of the album's story, but is a joyous and upbeat song that is essentially a glorious celebration of life.

There are several other moments I'd like to briefly discuss.

The first is the opening track, "March of Mephisto". This song is just so unbelievably powerful. It's meant to represent the peak of Mephisto's influence over Ariel, and it gets this feeling across admirably as the united, methodical pulsing of drums and guitars sounds like a massive mustering of Mephisto's armies and their inevitable march to war with Mephisto himself snarling at their backs. As another reviewer said, it's like a freaking revolution. I can only imagine what kind of reaction this song garners in a live setting.

The second is the track "Memento Mori". Being the longest song that Kamelot have written to date (at around nine minutes), it sees Ariel, Helena, and Mephisto together one final time. The staple of this song is the line "I am the God in my own history", where Ariel finally realizes that he has the power to control his own destiny and casts Mephisto from his mind. Powerful performances from Roy, Mari, and Shagrath.

...and that's about it.

The Black Halo is like the "anti-power metal" power metal album, or maybe it's the purest embodiment of what power metal was always meant to become. Either way, it's a stunning, gorgeous, and intelligent album that I would recommend whether you're a fan of metal or not.

Not to be missed.

BEST CD EVER MADE.......2007-04-01

This is THE ONLY ALBUM ever created that I can listen to from start to finish without feeling the need to skip anything or interrupt a song from bordom. If you have never heard anything from Kamelot, this is the album you want to buy to get you started. Best of the best, gaurenteed.

Average customer rating:

The Burning Halo
dramatic, intense, brooding... enter at your own risk!

The Burning Halo
Draconian
Manufacturer: Napalm
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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Arcane Rain Fell
Where Lovers Mourn
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Above the Weeping World

ASIN: B000H7JE7Q
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Tracks:

She Dies
Through Infectious Waters (A Sickness Elegy)
The Dying
Serenade Of Sorrow
The Morningstar
The Gothic Embrace
On Sunday They Will Kill The World
Forever My Queen

Album Description

The Burning Halo shows the Swedish Doom Metal masters in perfect form, having developed into one of the scene's top acts. Heavy guitars and intense growls meet romantic female vocals, head-splitting drumming, and sorrowful piano arrangements. Draconian immaculately unite these elements to create a perfect symbiosis of Gothic Metal and Doom.

Customer Reviews:

The Burning Halo.......2007-03-24

First and foremost, this is not a new Draconian album. A new album would consist of all new material. This album actually contains three new songs and the rest are all older songs that are no longer available. The first three songs are the three new tracks and they are simply stunning. If you're a fan of the band, these songs will have you eager for more new material. In my humble opinion, the three new tracks are amongst the best Draconian have ever done, especially the epic "Through Infectious Waters" which holds the number one spot on my list of favorite Draconian songs. As far as the older tracks go, they definately don the Draconian sound that we as fans have grown to know and love (minus the last two songs, which are covers). If you're a fan of previous albums, not only will this be a great way to complete your collection, but you'll also have some great tunes to enjoy.

dramatic, intense, brooding... enter at your own risk!.......2007-03-12

This CD falls into the Goth (M)/ Doom (m) category.

The latest CD by Draconian is a nice surprise. They have cut down the growling of previous offerings, centering in solemn and intense music (not necessarily fast, as with many other Doom bands) and atmospheric, eerie arrangements (particularly, strings) and layers of sound. The female voice is not as high-pitched as, say, Within Temptation, which is a good thing. Some of the guitar chords bring echoes of early Sabbath, followed by intense sorrowful piano.

Of course, there's growling (one of the trademarks of the band), but this time is not so in-your-face. I own every CD they have released, and this is the only one routinely sitting in my iPod because of that.

This is not for everyone, but if you're grown tired of easier acts such as Within Temptation or Lacuna Coil, and want to explore a slightly darker side, this one's for you. Definitively a must for fans of Sirenia and Tristania (pre-Ashes releases). And if you already know the band, this one's, in my opinion, their best opus so far.

Average customer rating:

pretty good for black tape, not good for goth...
Halo Star Glows
Beautful, wistful, lovely
different
Halo and smoke comes down from Heaven

Halo Star
Black Tape for a Blue Girl
Manufacturer: Projekt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

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The Scavenger Bride
As One Aflame Laid Bare By Desire
This Lush Garden Within
Remnants of a Deeper Purity
Ashes in the Brittle Air

ASIN: B0002LE9QI
Release Date: 2007-07-16

Tracks:

Glow
Tarnished
The Gravediggers
Your Love Is Sweeter Than Wine
Indefinable, Yet
Knock Three Times
Scarecrow
Damn Swan!
Already Forgotten
The Fourth Footstep
Dagger
Halo Star

Customer Reviews:

pretty good for black tape, not good for goth..........2005-12-21

I like old school goth, and I like mellow music, and this is kind of neither. Old school goth has a neat, creepy element to it, mellow music makes you relax. This record kind of makes you feel, well, a little stupid. If you know BTFABG, then you pretty much know what to expect, because their music hasn't changed in many years. There are exceptions, depending upon who's on what record. Sometimes they change, for better or worse. But the basic formula, and I think there is pretty much a basic formula, is so predictable that once you get more than 6 seconds into a song you're thinking "deja vu" time. All the great reviews made me buy this cd and "Scavenger Bride" and well, sometimes the samples you get online just aren't long enough. I can get the atmosphere of what they're trying to convey, but I don't get any substance.
And I think that's what's important. There's no meat to the bone. And if you listen to "Knock Three Times" you'll be wishing it was Tony Orlando and Dawn. 'Nuff said.

Halo Star Glows.......2005-10-28

I must admit, in the past I didn't care much for Black Tape for a Blue Girl's music. I just failed to understand all the appraisal they were receiving from the Gothic darkwave scene, and yet with each new release I continued to buy their albums anyway simply because there was always at least one or two songs I really enjoyed. However, several years later and more into this genre than ever before, BTfaBG has vastly grown on me.

Perhaps they're an acquired taste but now I lick this stuff up like it's dessert! 'Halo Star' opens with a haunting Middle Eastern flair that continues on to the next track, "Tarnished", and is one of their more upbeat songs while the others are mostly slower paced. The use of instruments are otherwordly and delicately played with dark, gloomy rhythms that consist of melancholy lyrics often sung by lush female vocalist, Elysabeth Grant, and are usually chock-full of heartache and despair. Bret Helm also lends his brooding voice to many of the pieces here and sounds a lot like Voltaire on the quirky "Knock Three Times". The most notable track for me, though, would have to be "Damn Swan!" It may be short (clocking in at a little over 3 minutes in length) but is achingly beautiful...

Just classic perfection heard throughout; presented in a subtle fashion.

Beautful, wistful, lovely.......2005-03-13

I resisted listening to BTFABG for years. And when I did hear them, it was completely out of context, just a random track here & there, so I wrote them off. What a mistake! I'm glad I came back to them and gave "Halo Star" a listen.

They remind me immediately of the old Dead Can Dance. Where DCD went deeply into experimenting with period and culturally specific instruments, this album still retains that otherwordly quality that I fell in love with all those years ago that DCD embodied so perfectly.

Each song flows into each other softly and smoothly. There's nothing scary or disjointed about them at all. The album itself transformed me to this sort of dreamy aural landscape. It's like a personal soundtrack to your own independent film all about you!

It doesn't surprise me that BTFABG has not and never will hit the mainstream. In a way, I hope they don't so I can keep them as a precious secret and dazzle the uninitiated. Don't you?

different.......2004-09-24

I say this album is different because it is rather different to thier other albums, and despite my favorite album of thiers being remnants, i love this album just as much. I feel that sometimes this album is reminiscent of old moody blues. Trippy and folky mixed in with synth and flute. If anyone knows old Moody albums, then you may agree with me. This album may not be for everyone, but, i belive i am not everyone. I listen to alot of stuff that a lot of people don't like, and visa versa.
Now to an actuall "review"
The first songs are rather intense and two other songs on this album pop as such.
As for every thing else it sounded much more folky, and as i mentioned before moody bluesish. if you like previous albums be opened minded to this.
I'm a little up for time so this is my crap review.

Halo and smoke comes down from Heaven.......2004-09-22

When I mention Halo and smoke, it is a metaphor for the feeling I got when listening to the cd; its components of the character Halo on the cd with the visceralness of the music (smoke), which then translated into my sensation awareness of what went on during the live show which I booked in Boise, where I live. The show was amazing and full of sights and sounds to behold and savor, and my intense awareness of the smoke that filled the stage from the fog machine really heightened my overall impression of this cd. This cd is subtle, and it has grown on me since the time I originally heard it when Sam Rosenthal sent it to me as a promoter's copy.

Much of the music on this cd may seem too subtle to the average listener of darkwave and ethereal music (or even the average music lover); but upon further inspection, a rawness and depth is so clearly present in the songs included on this album, and the common thread of the character Halo is stitched perfectly into the fabric of the songs as they trail each other...each successively more complex than the next. Highlights include "Tarnished" which is the official opener on this album, even though "Glow" comes before it as a prelude to "Tarnished" brushing beautiful Eastern drumbeats and an eerie soundscape of what is to come. "Scarecrow" is wonderfully layered with male vocals over intense music and mystification. "Knock three times" provides a lighter but not-to-be-forgotten presence with its bit of campy humor alongside whispered piano and dark vocal styling. "Dagger" is easily one of my favorites on this album. When I hear this track, I feel as though I am instantly one and the same with a brilliant ray of light and mist radiating from the descending ashes of sadness that seems to weigh so heavily upon the tapestry of this musical expression. It is that complex, and heavenly male vocals mesh perfectly with the unbroken progression of this amazing, understated song. All tracks are replete with unique style and have their own story to tell, magnified by Bret Helm's (of Audra) marvelous, dark and breathy voice and Elysabeth Grant's supernatural vocals coming through the drumbeats and wall of sound in the music surrounding it.

"Already Forgotten", though beautifully full of Elysabeth Grant's achingly haunted vocals, seems almost a little too repetitious of music on other albums. But the way the piano dances around the voice in this track is quite mesmerizing. Despite remnants here and there from black tape's previous material (which is not a detriment), their newest offering has as much substance as any other album I've listened to, perhaps more with the additon of one of the strongest and most hypnotic male singers I have ever had the privilege of hearing (live and recorded).

I cannot recommend this album enough to music lovers, especially those with a penchant and ear for darkness and painstakingly crafted arenas that are really much more like soundtracks to moments in life than merely just music. My review only afforded four stars because I have not yet heard in their entirety each black tape album and been able to judge them all equally alongside one another.

Average customer rating:

The Legend of Black Six
Phantom Family Halo
Manufacturer: Cold Sweat
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000SFJWNS
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Average customer rating:

The Black Halo
Kamelot
Manufacturer: Steamhammer
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0007PH8GW

Tracks:

March of Mephisto
When the Lights Are Down
Haunting (Somewhere in Time)
Soul Society
Interlude I: Dei Gratia
Abandoned
This Pain
Moonlight
Interlude II: Un Assassino Molto Silenzioso
Black Halo
Nothing Ever Dies
Memento Mori
Interlude III: Midnight/Twelve Tolls for a New Day
Serenade

Album Details

2005 European Limited Digi Book of the Band's Studio Release Wtih Two Bonus Tracks Wrapped in a Nice High Gloss Digi.

Average customer rating:

Absolutely astounding!
Kamelot returns stronger and more diverse than ever!

The Black Halo
Kamelot
Manufacturer: King Japan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
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One Cold Winter's Night
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ASIN: B0006SLDW0
Release Date: 2005-02-07

Tracks:

March of Mephisto
When the Lights Are Down
Haunting
Soul Society
Interlude I Dei Gratia
Abandoned
This Pain
Moonlight
Interlude II un Assasino Molto Silenzioso
Black Halo
Nothing Ever Dies
Memento Mori
Interlude III Midnight: Twelve Tells for a New Day
Serenade
Epilogue
Soul Society [Radio Edit Version]

Album Description

Japanese pressing is scheduled for earliest release & to include one bonus track. King. 2005.

Album Details

Japanese Release featuring Two Bonus Tracks: "EPILOGUE", and "Soul Society (Radio Edit Version)".

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely astounding!.......2005-03-01

Kamelot, one of today's leading melodic metal bands, never cease to amaze me. I more or less knew The Black Halo was going to be a splendid album, but I honestly did not believe it could top Epica, which is what I consider to be more or less a perfect album. Well my friends, I must say it - they have topped Epica! Is it believable? Not until you hear the album. ;-)

Starting off with March Of Mephisto, we're taken into new territory. From the overall strong Eastern feel to the impressive orchestrations, this song is quite a treat. Granted, Kamelot have certainly produced Eastern-influenced melodies and orchestrations before, but never have they done so to the level that they are present here.

To spare you, the reader, I am not about to go into a song-by-song review, as it would be more like a novella than a review. What I would like to say, however, is that this is what I would consider to be Kamelot's strongest effort yet. The songs are just flawless, truly. I admit, as a reviewer, I sometimes use words like "flawless" and "perfect" a bit too liberally, however, I really mean it this time around. I cannot find fault here. Every song is strong enough to stand on its two feet, which is a rare find. The subtle, yet impressive, instrumentation adds an entire new dimension to the songs that simply could not be delivered by any other band outside of Kamelot. I am also glad to say that Kamelot still are very-culture friendly. Taking and utilizing influences from a variety of cultures, such as the Japanese flare in Moonlight to the wonderful prelude to the title-track, we hear a great variety here, to say the least.

Being fortunate enough to have the Japanese version, I'd like to point out the Japanese bonus track, Epilogue. While the other bonus track, a radio edit version of Soul Society is enjoyable, and features a different take on the song, the bonus track Epilogue really is a treat. Despite that Epilogue is labeled with the degrading "bonus track" stamp, I personally feel that this piece of music completes the album. Although the band has stated that it was specifically written for the Japanese version, and has no significance to the story, it really ties the album together. If you've got the means, I'd definitely recommend the Japanese for this beautiful song.

What else can I say? This is going to be one of my favorites albums of 2005, and rightfully so. It is rare that an album comes out with this level of beauty and power, but here it is. If you're a new listener of Kamelot, this is a great place to start, although Epica may be a better introduction, at least for the sake of the story as The Black Halo is a sequel to Epica. For those that are Kamelot fans, you will NOT be disappointed! Cheers!

Kamelot returns stronger and more diverse than ever!.......2005-02-01

Kamelot
"The Black Halo"

Their bio says Kamelot is a band you can rely on. That could be taken to mean that the band stays with the same formulas time after time. With Kamelot you can rely on the fact that they will not copy old formulas and will challenge themselves plus the listener, time after time. Enter "The Black Halo"!

The Black Halo is the continuation of the Epica saga, loosely based on German writer Wolfgang Goethe's Faust masterpiece. Much like Faust Part II, The Black Halo touches the darker side of the main character Ariel. The devil (Mephisto) is ever present in this modern day conceptual masterpiece. Masterpiece I said...

The album starts off with what I imagine is a huge rally that Mephisto is leading to drum up the troops of the dark side. The voice of Mephisto is none other than Shagrath of the very popular black metal band Dimmu Borgir. His voice fits the atmosphere perfectly and I must say it was a stroke of genius to mix these two genres in the classy way that Kamelot has a knack for. This leads into the heart of "March of Mephisto", maybe Kamelot's heaviest but still very melodic song. I was expecting the usual double bass fast song that so many melodic bands do these days. March of Mephisto is a mid tempo power song that finally breaks the cookie cutter trend. (A great and refreshing move in my opinion) The keyboard solo features Jens Johansson of Stratovarius fame and ex-Malmsteen. He does a fantastic job as what seems like the devil stroking a violin from hell!

The second song "When the lights are Down" kicks in with a very fast double bass tune that is classic Kamelot mixed with some modern elements. The chorus is a winner that will stick in your brain immediately. There is an incredible solo tradeoff this time with guitarist Thomas Youngblood and Jens Johansson.

"The Haunting" follows with a fresh and beautiful approach that in my ears could bring Kamelot a much larger audience. The song has all the Kamelot sound with a more concise and "commercial" approach. They manage to do this without sounding like anyone else. Mezzo Soprano vocalist Simone Simons from Holland is also on the track and brings and gorgeous element to the song. The band is shooting a video for this track which makes total sense to me since it will have some appeal to broader audiences.

The title track "The Black Halo" is one of Kamelot trademark 5/4 songs that incorporates some progressive influences that Kamelot has a keen sense to use subtlety under their power/melodic metal skin. It follows an incredibly beautiful Italian piece that is sung by Cinzia Rizzo. Cinzia also appeared on Kamelot's Fourth Legacy album.

The 8 minute journey "Memento Mori" is Kamelot's longest and maybe most epic song to date. A mixture of many styles and speeds that will be a classic for the fans. It is the climax to the storyline of the three main characters in the saga.

These are only five of 14 tracks that have absolutely no fillers. It would take me hours to finish this review if I commented on every incredible song. I must leave the rest to you to discover, explore and ponder the lyrical meanings within this gem. This album is a must buy for all fans of any music!
My only criticism is that Kamelot didn't release this album earlier, but I understand the wait considering the amount of work that must have gone into writing and producing 2005's equivalent of Mindcrime!
Production from Sascha Paeth and Miro is once again great and in my mind a little heavier than previous productions from the Wolfsburg duo. Something I missed on the Epica release.

Average customer rating:

Black Halo

Manufacturer: V.K.Lynne
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Southern Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAKGG6
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Average customer rating:

The Black Halo
Kamelot
Manufacturer: Dreambeat
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000CNGGCG
Release Date: 2005-12-19

Tracks:

March of Mephisto
When the Lights Are Down
Haunting
Soul Society
Interlude I Dei Gratia
Abandoned
This Pain
Moonlight
Interlude II un Assasino Molto Silenzioso
Black Halo
Nothing Ever Dies
Memento Mori
Interlude III Midnight: Twelve Tells for a New Day
Serenade
Epilogue
Soul Society [Radio Edit Version]

Album Description

Asian pressing features 16 total tracks including the 2 bonus tracks 'Epilogue' & 'Soul Society' (radio edit version). Dreambeat. 2006.

Average customer rating:

The Black Halo
Kamelot
Manufacturer: King Japan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00097DXYY
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Tracks:

March of Mephisto
When the Lights Are Down
Haunting
Soul Society
Interlude I Dei Gratia
Abandoned
This Pain
Moonlight
Interlude II un Assasino Molto Silenzioso
Black Halo
Nothing Ever Dies
Memento Mori
Interlude III Midnight: Twelve Tells for a New Day
Serenade
Epilogue
Soul Society [Radio Edit Version]

Damnation: Ride the Madness, Salvation: Are You Ready to Die?

Average customer rating:

EVA'S BACK!!!!!!!!

Damnation: Ride the Madness, Salvation: Are You Ready to Die?
Eva-O
Manufacturer: MCM Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0007WC9K0

Product Description

Eva-O's life has been one of extremes-from the darkest depths of the occult to new birth in Christ. Years of depravity with bands that mixed metallic death rock and Goth brought her to the end of her self. Damnation was the controversial first part of a two part CD release. We say controversial because it focused on the 'bad news' of sin and death. The second half of the project was titled Salvation ~ Are You Ready To Die?, that focused on the 'good news' of deliverance through Jesus Christ. Damnation in its original, extended form, was released on MCM Music in Germany in 2001, and is no longer available. It offered a bleak and eerie portrait of judgment and certain condemnation. Eva O combines dark-wave ambient keyboards with world beat percussion and industrial metal guitars to support a voice that speaks authoritatively of harsh and ugly things. The completed project was released on another German label in 2004. Though the CD concludes on a triumphant note, the feeble of heart may lack the fortitude to get that far. It was produced by Eric Clayton of Saviour Machine, and also features Josh Pyle of Audio Paradox.

Customer Reviews:

EVA'S BACK!!!!!!!!.......2005-05-02

And this time, she's got a wonderfully dark, hard driving industrial metal/goth sound! If this a CHRISTIAN record; it's the angriest damn one I've ever heard! pick this up now!

Music Review:

Music Review

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