Equimanthorn - Exalted are the 7 throne bearers of Ninnkigal
Displeased Records

file under alternative / pop

Marcus: Experimental soundscapes blended with traditional mystical influences are represented on the third studio album of Equimanthorn; an esoteric journey through a fantasy world of ritual magic. Not the most accessible themes are discussed on this album. Complex language and gigantic textual passages. Spoken word is combined with spherical tones and drones, where percussion and traditional instruments are being used. The songs don't really have a 'head and tail'. Solely spherical moods.

Drum and percussion are dominant on this album. The song titles are not really appealing, like 'When Seven Came Unto The Fundament' en 'The Submissive Myth Genesis Of Mirror Waters Rising'. What does the band mean? God knows. Maybe I'll understand it with a bottle of absinthe and a few candles, and come to the conclusion that these guys are genius. It's clear that we're dealing with professional musicians but Equimanthorn's fantasy world is hard to understand and grasp. It looks like ! one has to be an insider. It reminds me of dungeons & dragons and role-playing games. The band's website also contains pictures of the band members with swords and (medieval) helmets. Not really my thing, but it could well be possible that a fan of this genre really likes what can be heard on the album. My personal opinion is that Equimanthorns music has a lot of the same emotion throughout the entire album. Although my first impression was good, it was kind of a struggle to listen to the entire album in one go. Not much melody, just monotone drones during the entire album, combined (once again) with spoken word. It looks like the mythology on this album is primary and the music is secondary and additional to the story.

Rating: 60/100 (details)

http://www.equimanthorn.com